Topography of muscular branches of the superficial fibular nerve based on anatomical preparation of human foetuses

Aleksandra Karykowska; Anna Rohan-Fugiel; Grzegorz Mączka; Joanna Grzelak; Bohdan Gworys; Victoria Tarkowski; Zygmunt Domagała

doi:10.1016/j.aanat.2021.151728

Topography of muscular branches of the superficial fibular nerve based on anatomical preparation of human foetuses

Ann Anat. 2021 Sep:237:151728. doi: 10.1016/j.aanat.2021.151728. Epub 2021 Apr 3.

Authors

Aleksandra Karykowska¹, Anna Rohan-Fugiel², Grzegorz Mączka³, Joanna Grzelak⁴, Bohdan Gworys⁵, Victoria Tarkowski⁶, Zygmunt Domagała²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anthropology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska 5, 51-631 Wrocław, Poland. Electronic address: aleksandra.karykowska@upwr.edu.pl.
² Division of Anatomy, Department of Human Morphology and Embryology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
³ Non-public Health Care Institution "Doktor", Boleslawiec, Poland.
⁴ Division of Oral Anatomy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
⁵ Faculty of Health Science and Physical Education, The Witelon State University of Applied Sciences in Legnica, Legnica, Poland.
⁶ Clinical and Dissecting Anatomy Students Scientific Club, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.

PMID: 33823227
DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2021.151728

Abstract

Background: The progress of pediatric surgery and increasingly better diagnosis of fetal defects require detailed knowledge of human developmental anatomy. Precise knowledge of the anatomy of innervation of the lower extremities corresponds to this subject and is not only cognitive but also clinically important. The aim of this study was to analyse the anatomy of the topography of the muscular branches of the superficial fibular nerve (NPS) in the prenatal period, which will fill a gap in the literature.

Methods: The analysis was carried out on 207 human foetuses aged from the 113th day to 222nd day of foetal life. The study material is a part of the collection of the Division of Normal Anatomy of Wroclaw Medical University. The study incorporated the following methods: anthropological, preparational and image acquisition which was acquired with the use of high-resolution digital camera. Statistical analysis was carried out with the use of STATISTICA package.

Results: Based on the research results the number of muscle branches of the examined nerve was determined. It was shown that in more than half of the cases the two nerve branches are responsible for Peroneus Longus innervation and in about 90% of cases one branch is responsible for Peroneus Brevis innervation. Based on the obtained data a unique, new typology of distribution of these branches was created. It has been shown that the bipinnate type is the most common in the examined fetal population. The presence of statistically significant differences in the frequency of occurrence of individual innervation patterns depending on sex and body side were excluded (p > 0.05). There were also no statistically significant changes in the frequency of occurrence of individual types of NPS branch distribution according to fetal age (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: The created unique typology of NPS branch distribution based on extensive preparation material is an important supplement to the anatomical knowledge and at the same time, due to the peripheral and superficial location of the described structures, it has a relevant clinical significance.

Keywords: Fibular nerve; Fibularis muscle; Lower limb; Nerve branches.

MeSH terms

Cadaver
Child
Female
Fetus
Humans
Leg*
Lower Extremity
Muscle, Skeletal
Peroneal Nerve* / anatomy & histology
Pregnancy