• Casey P Spinelli, Joe Iwanaga, C J Bui, Aaron S Dumont, and R Shane Tubbs.
• Tulane University & Ochsner Clinic Neurosurgery Program, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
• World Neurosurg. 2022 Feb 1; 158: e148-e153.

BackgroundSciatic nerve injuries are relatively infrequent but extremely disabling for the patient. As injury to this nerve is relatively infrequent, there is little about its repair in the literature, especially within the pelvis.MethodsTwelve adult embalmed cadavers (24 sides) underwent exposure of the anteromedial thigh, inguinal region, and pelvic cavity. The sartorius muscle was identified in the anterior thigh, and its nerve branches from the femoral nerve were isolated and traced proximally to the femoral nerve trunk. The isolated sartorius nerve branches were further traced to the pelvic part of the femoral nerve. Next, the lumbosacral plexus was dissected on the posterior aspect of the pelvis so that its constituent parts were seen and followed distally to also visualize the most proximal part of the sciatic nerve. The previously dissected nerve branches to sartorius were then transposed to these constituent parts, and the ability for a tension-free anastomosis between these 2 nerves was evaluated.ResultsThe branches ranged in diameter from 1.89 to 3.1 mm (2.88 mm). The average length of the nerves was 17.3 cm. Transposition of these branches to all ventral rami of the lumbosacral plexus in the pelvis and proximal sciatic (intrapelvic) nerve was possible on all cadaveric sides.ConclusionsOur cadaveric study found that nerve branches to the sartorius muscle can be transposed intrapelvically to the lumbosacral plexus and could provide tension-free anastomoses for neurotization procedures in patients with nerve injury.Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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