Determining the Relationship of Sciatic Nerve and Piriformis: A Case Report

The study's main goal is to report anatomic variation in the sciatic nerve in cadaveric dissection. During routine undergraduate dissection in a middle-aged male cadaver, we discovered that the sciatic nerve divided in the buttock into the common peroneal and tibial nerves. The common peroneal nerve then pierced the piriformis muscle, dividing it into two parts, and the tibial nerve passed beneath the muscle. The common peroneal nerve descended laterally in the thigh, giving a branch to the short head of the biceps femoris and then distributing to the muscles and skin on the anterolateral aspect of the leg and the dorsum of the foot. While still in the buttock and upper part of the thigh, the tibial nerve descended medially and gave branches to the upper part of the hamstring muscles arising from the ischial tuberosity. It continues into the leg and foot, supplying muscles and skin on the back of the leg and the sole of the foot. Coccygodynia and sciatic pain have been linked to abnormal relationships between the piriformis muscle and the sciatic nerve; therefore, being aware of such variation can help to assessment.