Nerve: Superior gluteal nerve
Nerves of the right lower extremity. Posterior view.
Plan of sacral and pudendal plexuses. (Superior gluteal labeled at upper left.)
Latin	nervus gluteus superior
Gray's	subject #213 659
Innervates	gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, tensor fasciæ latæ
From	sacral plexus (L4-S1)

The superior gluteal nerve is a nerve that originates in the pelvis and supplies the gluteus medius, the gluteus minimus, and the tensor fasciae latae muscles.^[1]

Contents 1 Structure 2 Pathology 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Structure

The superior gluteal nerve originates in the sacral plexus. It arises from the dorsal divisions of the fourth and fifth lumbar and first sacral nerves.^[2] It leaves the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen above the piriformis, accompanied by the superior gluteal artery and the superior gluteal vein.^[3] It then divides into a superior and an inferior branch.

• The superior branch accompanies the upper branch of the deep division of the superior gluteal artery and ends in the gluteus minimus.
• The inferior branch runs with the lower branch of the deep division of the superior gluteal artery across the gluteus minimus; it gives filaments to the gluteus medius and minimus, and ends in the tensor fasciae latae.

The superior gluteal nerve and vessels travel above the piriformis muscle through the greater sciatic foramen; the inferior gluteal nerve and vessels travel below the muscle.^[1]

[edit] Pathology

In normal gait, the small gluteal muscles on the stance side can stabilize the pelvis in the coronal plane. Weakness or paralysis of these muscles caused by a damaged superior gluteal nerve can result in a weak abduction in the affected hip joint. This gait disturbance is known as Trendelenburg gait. In a positive Trendelenburg's sign the pelvis sags toward the normal unsupported side (the swing leg). The opposite, when the pelvis is elevated on the swing side, is known as Duchenne limp. Bilateral loss of the small gluteal muscles results in a waddling gait. ^[3]

[edit] See also

• Inferior gluteal nerve

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Platzer, Werner (2004). Color Atlas of Human Anatomy, Vol. 1: Locomotor System (5th ed.). Thieme. ISBN 3-13-533305-1. 
• Thieme Atlas of Anatomy: General Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System. Thieme. 2006. ISBN 1-58890-419-9. 

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

[edit] External links

• Duke Orthopedics superior_gluteal_nerve

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v • d • e Nerves of lower limbs and lower torso: the lumbosacral plexus (L1-Co) (TA A14.2.05-07, GA 9.948) lumbar plexus (L1-L4) iliohypogastric lateral cutaneous branch · anterior cutaneous branch ilioinguinal anterior scrotal ♂/labial ♀ genitofemoral femoral branch/lumboinguinal · genital branch lateral cutaneous of thigh patellar obturator anterior (cutaneous) · posterior · accessory femoral anterior cutaneous branches · saphenous (infrapatellar, medial crural cutaneous) sacral plexus (L4-S4) sciatic common fibular lateral sural cutaneous (sural communicating branch) · deep fibular (lateral terminal branch, medial terminal branch, dorsal digital) · superficial fibular (medial dorsal cutaneous, intermediate dorsal cutaneous, dorsal digital) tibial medial sural cutaneous · medial calcaneal · medial plantar (common plantar digital nerves, proper plantar digital) · lateral plantar (deep branch, superficial branch, common plantar digital, proper plantar digital) sural lateral dorsal cutaneous · lateral calcaneal other muscular: superior gluteal/inferior gluteal · lateral rotator group (to quadratus femoris, to obturator internus, to the piriformis) cutaneous: posterior cutaneous of thigh (inferior cluneal, perineal branches) · perforating cutaneous coccygeal plexus (S4-Co) pudendal: inferior anal · perineal (deep, posterior scrotal ♂/labial ♀) · dorsal of the penis ♂/clitoris ♀ anococcygeal cutaneous innervation of the lower limbs