Extraneural arterial blood vessels of human fetal sciatic nerve.

Nerves get segmental blood supply either from the neighboring muscular and cutaneous branches or from the regional main arterial trunks. The aim of our research was to detect, in the gluteal and posterior femoral region, the blood vessels which are involved in the blood supply of the human fetal sciatic nerve, as well as to establish their origin. Micro-dissection was performed on 48 fetal lower extremities which were previously fixed in 10% formalin.