THE APPLIED ANATOMY OF PIRIFORMIS IN RELATION TO SCIATICA / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Morphology and relationships of piriformis and its tendon,and their relations withsciatic nerve in 100 cases have been observed in order to analyse the cause of sciatica.Piriformis was divided into four types and piriformis tendon into five types.In79% of piriformis there were additional origins.In 5% of cases synovial bursa waspresent below the end of piriformis tendon.The relation between piriformis andsciatic nerve was anomalous in 38%.Sciatic nerves and their branches in 16%passed between the two tendons of piriformis,and along the anterior or posteriorsurface of a tendon.It is concluded that various anomalous relationship between piriformis tendonand sciatic nerve is an important factor giving rise to sciatic pain.