Unilateral high division of right sciatic nerve

Abstract

A thorough knowledge of pelvis and lower extremity is of paramount importance in providing effective care to patients with lower extremity neuralgia. Neuroanatomy knowledge typically acquired in medical colleges at undergraduate level is limited and may not adequately equip the clinicians to effectively manage a patient with intractable pain of lower extremity especially if the nerves are not following a typical course. Sciatic nerve is the main nerve supplying most of the muscles and all of the joints of lower limb. It is a branch of Sacral plexus that leaves the pelvis usually below the piriformis muscle and after supplying the hamstring compartment divide at the level of apex of popliteal fossa into its two terminal divisions namely; Tibial And Common peroneal nerves. Sometimes Sciatic nerve while in the pelvis divides into its terminal branches that leave the pelvis in a number of ways in relation to piriformis muscle. This high division is responsible for ischalgia, wrongly placed intra-muscular inje ctions and piriformis syndrome. This study is carried out in various medical colleges of Lahore including FMH college of Medicine and Dentistry to update the statistical data provided to the therapist and clinicians managing patients of sciatica, ischalgia or piriformis syndrome.