UGRA

7 – The medial calcaneal nerve branch of the tibial nerve

The medial calcaneal nerve is a branch of the tibial nerve

It arises postero-inferior to the medial malleolus

The medial calcaneal nerve branches innervates the skin of the heel

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The green colour depicts the medial calcaneal nerve branch of the tibial nerve

8 – Cutaneus innervation of the sole of the foot from the tibial nerve

The medial plantar nerve innervates the medial part of the sole of the foot

The lateral plantar nerve innervates the lateral part of the sole of the foot

The medial calcanean branch of the tibial nerve innervates the skin of the heel

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The sole of the foot is innervated by three branches of the tibial nerve: The medial plantar nerve (MPN), the lateral plantar nerve (LPN) and the medial calcaneal nerve (MCN)

6 – The lateral plantar nerve branch of the tibial nerve

The lateral plantar nerve descends postero-inferior to the medial malleolus

It supplies some of the flexor muscles of the foot besides giving cutaneous branches to the lateral side of the sole of the foot

Branches from the lateral plantar nerve cross over to the dorsum of the toes to supply the nail bed

The lateral plantar nerve also contributes to the sensory innervation of some of the the tarsal and metatarsal joints

The lateral plantar nerve in the foot is analogous to the ulnar nerve in the hand

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The green colour depicts the lateral plantar nerve branch of the tibial nerve

4 – Tibial nerve branches to the knee: The genicular nerves

Within the popliteal fossa the tibial nerve branches off the medial genicular nerves

The lateral branches come from the peroneal nerve

The genicular nerves are sensory nerves that supply the capsule and ligaments of the knee joint

A popliteal sciatic nerve block proximal to the sciatic nerve bifurcation blocks the genicular nerves branching off the tibial nerve. I.e. the tibial innervation of the knee is blocked by a popliteal sciatic nerve block

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The green colour depicts the genicular nerves which branch off from the tibial nerve (to the left) and the common peroneal (to the right) and innervate the knee

2 – Anatomy of the sciatic nerve in the popliteal fossa

In the popliteal fossa the sciatic nerve splits in two branches: the tibial nerve medially and the common peroneal nerve laterally

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The popliteal fossa contains the tibial nerve (TN) medially and the common peroneal nerve (PN) laterally
ST = semitendinosus muscle; SM = semimembranosus muscle; BF = biceps femoris muscle

3 – The tibial nerve

The tibial nerve runs in the posterior compartment of the leg, before it divides into the two terminal branches: the medial and the lateral plantar nerves. The two terminal branches give off cutaneous and muscular branches to the foot

Within the popliteal fossa, the tibial nerve gives off:
– articular branches to the knee joint (the genicular nerves)
– muscular branches to the ankle flexor muscles in the posterior compartment
– a cutaneous nerve to the lateral ankle and foot – the sural nerve

In the distal part of the leg, the tibial nerve gives off:
– articular branches to the ankle joint
– a cutaneous nerve to the heel, the medial calcaneal nerve

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The green colour depicts the tibial nerve in posterior compartment of the leg

1 – Anatomy of the sciatic nerve

The sciatic nerve emerges from the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen underneath the piriformis muscle

It descends in the midline of the thigh between the greater trochanter and the ischial tuberosity

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The yellow sciatic nerve (SN) emerges from the lower border of the triangular piriformis muscle

5 – The medial plantar nerve branch of the tibial nerve

The medial plantar nerve descends postero-inferior to the medial malleolus

It innervates the skin over the medial aspect of the sole of the foot

The nerve branches cross over to the dorsum of the toes to supply the nail beds

The medial plantar nerve distribute sensory branches to the tarsal and metatarsal joints

The medial plantar nerve supplies some of the flexor muscles of the foot

The medial plantar nerve of foot is analogous to the median nerve in the hand

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The green colour depicts the medial plantar nerve branch of the tibial nerve

18 – The saphenous nerve block

Local anaesthetic is injected just lateral to the femoral artery in the triangular space between the femoral artery, the sartorius muscle and the medial vastus muscle

Click on the VIDEO CLIP button to view the video

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The video shows the in-plane approach to the saphenous nerve block with injection of local anaesthetic on the lateral side of the femoral artery
SN = saphenous nerve; SM = sartorius muscle; FA = femoral artery; MVM = medial vastus muscle

15 – The cutaneous distribution of the saphenous nerve

The saphenous nerve is a branch of the posterior branch of the femoral nerve

The saphenous nerve innervates the antero-medial part of the knee and the leg including the medial malleolus and and the anterior side of the ankle joint and the subtalar joints

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The green colour depicts the cutaneous distribution of the saphenous nerve