Twenty-four human legs were dissected macroscopically to study
the morphological details of the accessory
deep peroneal nerve. This nerve arose from the superficial peroneal nerve
and descended in the lateral
compartment of the leg, deep to peroneus longus along the posterior border
of peroneus brevis.
Approaching the ankle joint, this nerve passed through the peroneal tunnels
to wind around the lateral
malleolus; it then crossed beneath the peroneus brevis tendon anteriorly
to reach the dorsum of the foot.
The accessory deep peroneal nerve was found in every case examined and
constantly gave off muscular
branches to peroneus brevis and sensory branches to the ankle region. In
addition, this nerve occasionally
had muscular branches to peroneus longus and extensor digitorum brevis,
and sensory branches to the fibula
and the foot. The anomalous muscles around the lateral malleolus were also
innervated by this nerve.
Neither cutaneous branches nor communicating branches with other nerves
were found. The present study
reveals that the accessory deep peroneal nerve is consistently present
and possesses a proper motor and
sensory distribution in the lateral region of the leg and ankle. It is
not an anomalous nerve as has previously
been suggested.