During harvest of the great saphenous vein for coronary bypass, a patient develops numbness along the medial side of the leg and medial border of the foot. Knee extension power is normal and the patellar reflex is intact. Which nerve was injured?

• A Sural nerve
• B Medial plantar nerve
• C Saphenous nerve ✓
• D Obturator nerve

Explanation

The saphenous nerve is the longest cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve, travels with the femoral artery in the adductor canal, and supplies skin of the medial leg and medial foot up to the ball of the big toe. It is purely sensory, so motor function and the knee jerk (femoral, L3-L4) are spared. The sural nerve supplies the posterolateral leg and lateral foot, not the medial side.

Reference: Gray's Anatomy for Students, 4th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.