Medial crural cutaneous branches of saphenous nerve

At a glance

English

Medial crural cutaneous branches of saphenous nerve

Latin (TA2)

Rami cutanei cruris mediales nervi sapheni

System

Nerve

Region

Lower limb

Side

Paired, left and right

About the medial crural cutaneous branches of saphenous nerve

After passing between the tendons of sartorius and gracilis on the medial side of the knee, the saphenous nerve pierces the deep fascia and becomes superficial. It then descends along the medial side of the leg beside the great saphenous vein. On this course it gives off the medial crural cutaneous branches, which spread over the medial and front-medial surface of the leg.

These branches supply the skin over the medial surface of the tibia, which lies directly under the skin along most of its length, and the skin over the inner side of the calf. Lower down the saphenous nerve itself continues in front of the medial malleolus to supply the skin of the medial side of the foot. The saphenous nerve and its branches carry the sensory fibres of the third and fourth lumbar nerves to this region.

Because the branches run with the great saphenous vein, they are at risk when the vein is stripped or treated for varicose veins below the knee, or removed for use as a bypass graft. Injury leaves numbness or painful tingling along the inner leg. The saphenous nerve can also be blocked on purpose with local anaesthetic, in the thigh or near the ankle, to relieve pain from operations on the medial leg and foot, since it is the only branch of the femoral nerve to reach below the knee.

Course and supply

Arises from

Saphenous nerve (from the femoral nerve, carrying L3 and L4 fibres) in the leg.

Ends in

Skin of the medial and anteromedial surface of the leg.

Supplies

Sensory to the skin of the medial leg; no motor fibres.