Perforating cutaneous nerve explained

Perforating cutaneous nerve
Latin:nervus cutaneus perforans
Width:191px
Innervates:Gluteal sulcus
Branchfrom:S2-S3,[1] sacral plexus

The perforating cutaneous nerve is a cutaneous nerve of the sacral plexus that provides sensory innervation to the skin of the buttocks.[2]

Structure

Origin

The perforating cutaneous nerve typically[3] arises from the posterior divisions of[4] anterior rami of sacral spinal nerves S2 and S3 of the sacral plexus.

Course

It pierces the inferior part of the sacrotuberous ligament, then passes along the inferior border of the gluteus maximus muscle.

Distribution

The perforating cutaneous nerve innervates the skin that overlies the inferomedial portion of gluteus maximus muscle.

Variation

Origin

The perforating cutaneous nerve may arise from the pudendal nerve. It is occasionally united with the pudendal nerve at its origin.

It may be absent (this is the case in 36% of individuals) in which case it is replaced by a branch from either the posterior cutaneous nerve of thigh or from the anterior rami of either S3-S4 or S4-S5.

Course

Instead of piercing the sacrotuberous ligament, the perforating cutaneous may instead run with the pudendal nerve, or pass in between the sacrotuberous ligament and the gluteus maximus muscle.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Adam Mitchell . Drake, Richard . Gray, Henry David . Wayne Vogl . Gray's anatomy for students . Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone . 2005 . 0-443-06612-4 . 423.
  2. Book: Sinnatamby, Chummy S. . Last's Anatomy . 2011 . 978-0-7295-3752-0 . 12th . 310.
  3. Book: Apaydin, Nihal . Nerves and Nerve Injuries . . 2015 . 978-0-12-410390-0 . 1: History, Embryology, Anatomy, Imaging, and Diagnostics . 635 . Chapter 47 - Variations of the Lumbar and Sacral Plexuses and Their Branches . 10.1016/B978-0-12-410390-0.00049-4 . https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124103900000494.
  4. Book: Mirjalili, S. Ali . Nerves and Nerve Injuries . . 2015 . 978-0-12-410390-0 . 1: History, Embryology, Anatomy, Imaging, and Diagnostics . 626 . Chapter 46 - Anatomy of the Sacral Plexus L4-S4 . 10.1016/B978-0-12-410390-0.00048-2 . https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124103900000482.