ABSTRACT
The tarsal tunnel is composed of the posterior border of the medial malleoulus, the posterior aspect of the talus and the medial aspect of the calcaneus. The medial calcaneal nerve emerges from the posterior aspect of the posterior tibial nerve in 75% of cases and from the lateral plantar nerve in the remaining 25%. Finally, the medial calcaneal nerve ends as a single terminal branch in 79% of cases and in numerous terminal branches in the remaining 21%. To describe the anatomical variants of the posterior tibial nerve and its terminal branches. To describe the steps for tarsal tunnel release. To describe Baxter nerve release. The anatomical variants of the posterior tibial nerve and its terminal branches within the tarsal tunnel were studied. Then the Lam technique was performed; it consists of: 1) opening of the laciniate ligament, 2) opening of the fascia over the abductor hallucis muscle, 3) exoneurolysis of the posterior tibial nerve and its terminal branches, identifying the emergence and pathway of the medial calcaneal branch, the lateral plantar nerve and its Baxter nerve branch and the medial plantar nerve. Baxter nerve was found in 100% of cases. In 100% of cases in our series the nerve going to the abductor digiti minimi muscle of the foot was found; 87.5% of cases had two terminal branches. The dissections proved that a crucial step was the release of the distal tarsal tunnel.
