TITLE:
Variations in the Course of the Inferior Gluteal Nerve and Artery: A Case Report and Literature Review
AUTHORS:
Jun Yan, Masaki Takechi, Jiro Hitomi
KEYWORDS:
Inferior Gluteal Nerve; Inferior Gluteal Artery; Suprapiriformis Foramen; Variation; Human
JOURNAL NAME:
Surgical Science,
Vol.4 No.10,
October
14,
2013
ABSTRACT: Variations in the course of the inferior gluteal nerve and artery
were observed in Japanese cases (4/94 sides). In these variation cases, the
inferior gluteal nerve exited the pelvis from the upper edge of the piriformis
(suprapiriformis foramen) in 4/4 sides (4.26%). In 2/4 sides (2.13%), the
normal inferior gluteal artery was not observed, except that a
fine artery exited the pelvis from the inferior piriformis foramen to form an “arch”
with the superior gluteal artery under the gluteal maximus in 1/4 side.
Moreover, in 1/4 side, a twig of the internal pudendal artery exited pelvis
from inferior piriformis foramen and distributed to the surrounding tissues.
The present observations of the inferior gluteal nerve and artery course are
very important and useful for surgeons and nurses.