Charles R. Bardeen 331 
b. Variations in the Inferior Gluteal Nerve. 
This nerve arises in the main from the first sacral nerve, but in part 
usually also from the lumbo-sacral cord; often from the 2d sacral, and 
rarely from the 3d sacral. Its roots may be superficially bound up with 
the trunks of origin of the posterior cutaneous nerve and not infrequently 
with the main sciatic trunk. In the great majority of instances the main 
trunk of the nerve divides into an ascending and a descending branch. 
TABLE XXII. 
Type of Plexus from which the N. Gluteus Frequency of Origin of N. Gluteus 
Inf. arises. Inf. from: 
Wn. Sp. Nn. Sp. Nn. Sp. 
Most Distal (XXIV) [XXIV] | Total 
Type. Furcal Nerve. | Spinal Nerveto | XX I ERONGV, (exexe Walaa 
Tafa XXVI | xxvI_ | xxvi_ | Number. 
| ; | OXEXGV/ IAI) | eeXoXGValiT | 
| | (XXVIID 
A | SXOXGLV, XO 1 | 1 
Ant. | B SONY; XXVII 12 6 ee 
SXOXCNV, £ ‘ 
C chiefly to XXVIII 24 27 3 54 
sacral plexug 
XXIV | = 
Norm. | D chiefly to XXVIII 29 40 5 v4 
ry lumbar plexus 
XEXTAVESXONAVE a55 
E or XXV SROXOVALIT 9 | 1 10 
Post. | F XXIV KXCBX 1 Gee yl 3 10 
| XXIV-XXvV, ae | 
G Bey BXOXCIDNs 10 | 1 ul 
MO Sail N UID OT: a nah a ct See neh oe parked agwee eee 67 | 98 | 192). eleaeae 
The ascending branch curves upwards on the under surface of the gluteus 
maximus muscle midway between the tendons of origin and insertion. 
The descending branch is distributed in the middle third of the deep 
distal portion of the muscle. The fibres of the descending branch have a 
more distal origin than those of the ascending branch. In the adult the 
two branches often arise separately from the plexus. The table above 
shows the frequency of origin of the nerve from various groups of spinal 
nerves and the frequency with which each is associated with a given type 
of plexus. . 
