sural nerve (short or external saphenous nerve)

Function

• purely sensory
• cutaneous innervation of the foot

Origin

• formed at mid calf from joining of:
  • medial sural cutaneous nerve (tibial nerve)
  • communicating branch of the common fibular (peroneal) nerve
• highly variable

Course

• accompanies the small saphenous vein around the lateral malleolus at the ankle to the dorsum of the foot as the lateral dorsal cutaneous nerve

Branches

• lateral dorsal cutaneous nerve

Clinical significance

• sural nerve is generally preferred specimen for nerve biopsy
  • see sural nerve biopsy

More general terms

• peripheral nerve

Additional terms

• sural nerve biopsy