A 45-year-old woman undergoes stripping of the great saphenous vein for varicosities. Postoperatively she notices numbness along the medial side of the leg and medial border of the foot, with normal power at the knee and ankle. Which nerve was injured?

• A Saphenous nerve ✓
• B Sural nerve
• C Superficial peroneal nerve
• D Medial cutaneous nerve of thigh

Explanation

The saphenous nerve, the longest cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve, runs alongside the great saphenous vein in the leg and supplies skin of the medial leg, ankle, and foot. It is vulnerable during great saphenous vein harvesting or stripping. The sural nerve accompanies the small saphenous vein and supplies the lateral foot and posterior leg, killing that distractor.

Reference: Moore Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.