Common peroneal component of sciatic nerve piercing piriformis muscle: Piriformis syndrome versus sciatica.

Rastogi, Rakhi; Budhiraja, Virendra; Asthana, Ajay Kumar

Piriformis syndrome and sciatica can seem quite similar, particularly in terms of symptoms and this similarity in how they feel has caused considerable confusion for doctors and patients alike. We studied emergence of sciatic nerve in the gluteal region with relation to piriformis muscle in 40 cadavers on 80 sides. In 78 cases both tibial and common peroneal component of sciatic nerve were found emerging below the piriformis muscle to enter into the gluteal region, while in 2 cases common peroneal component pierced piriformis muscle and divided the muscle into upper and lower slips. We discussed the finding in terms of possible sciatic nerve entrapment and correlated it with piriformis syndrome and sciatica.

PIRIFORMIS syndrome; SCIATICA; SYMPTOMS; SCIATIC nerve; NEUROMUSCULAR diseases; PIRIFORMIS muscle

Medico-Legal Update, 2011, Vol 11, Issue 1, p104

0971-720X

Academic Journal