Knee pain and the infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve

Pain over the front of the knee is common after surgery or trauma but often a definite diagnosis is difficult to make. Over the past year we have seen five cases in which the pain could be ascribed to damage to a branch of th e infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve. Two were subsequent to traum a and three to surgical procedures. In all five cases surgical exploration gave symptomatic relief. Eight cadaveric knees were prosected to explore fu rther the anatomy of this nerve in relation to the injuries. Injury to one of these branches should be considered in cases of persistent anterior, ant eromedial or anterolateral knee pain or neurological symptoms following sur gery or trauma.