DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2018.v06i01.012

Pages: 58-63

Considering lumbar plexus being the ‘no man land’ for many surgeons due to its difficult approach and various articles stating about the frequency in the failure of lumbar plexus block, it becomes prudent to know the possible variations in formation and branching pattern of lumbar plexus. Dissection in 60 lumbar plexus, variations like Ilioinguinal and Iliohypogastric nerves having 10% and 5% variations respectively in its branching pattern. Genitofemoral nerve showing variation in 20.2% i.e. high split with different root value or even being duplicated or showing abnormal communication with femoral nerve. Femoral nerve showed variation in 15% of lumbar plexus like bifurcations, late formation or early division of the nerve and even origin of lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh from the femoral nerve. Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve had 18.3% variations like being bifurcated i.e. doubled, varied origin with late formation or even being absent in one plexus. Presence of Accessory obturator nerve in 11.6% of the plexus and the above variations made the author feel the necessity to conduct the study.