Surgical anatomy of the extrapelvic part of the pudendal nerve and its applications for clinical practice.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aims to report the topography of the extrapelvic part of the pudendal nerve (EPPN) and its relationship with the sacrospinous ligament and the pudendal artery. METHODS: The pudendal nerve (PN) was dissected by a gluteal approach in 40 cases. The morphology of the EPPN, its topography and the relationship between the PN on the one hand, and the pudendal artery and the tip of the ischial spine on the other hand were reported. RESULTS: The length and the diameter of the EPPN were identical on the right and on the left side. The PN was a single trunk in 3/4 of cases. The PN was medial to the pudendal artery in 32 cases and crossed the sacrospinous ligament in 32 cases and the ischial spine in 6 cases. CONCLUSIONS: The topographic variations of the EPPN are large and complicate its surgical and radiological approach.