The furcal nerve (forked nerve) links the

lumbar plexus The lumbar plexus is a web of nerves (a nervous plexus) in the lumbar region of the body which forms part of the larger lumbosacral plexus. It is formed by the Ventral ramus of spinal nerve, divisions of the first four lumbar nerves (L1-L4) and ...

and the

sacral plexus In human anatomy, the sacral plexus is a nerve plexus which provides motor and sensory nerves for the posterior thigh, most of the lower leg and foot, and part of the pelvis. It is part of the lumbosacral plexus and emerges from the lumbar vertebr ...

. It has its own dorsal and ventral branches with fibres that branch out to become part of the femoral and

obturator nerve The obturator nerve in human anatomy arises from the ventral divisions of the second, third, and fourth lumbar nerves in the lumbar plexus; the branch from the third is the largest, while that from the second is often very small. Structure The o ...

s. The furcal nerve is found in the lumbosacral trunk most commonly at the level of the fourth lumbar vertebra (L4).

Structure and location

The furcal nerve is an independent nerve that links the lumbar plexus to the sacral plexus. It is most commonly found at the level of the fourth lumbar vertebra. The next most common site is the level of the third lumbar vertebra (L3). The furcal nerve can be found at any level from L1 to S1 but has not been reported at L1. Occasionally a double furcal nerve is found. It gives branches to the

femoral nerve The femoral nerve is a nerve in the thigh that supplies skin on the upper thigh and inner leg, and the muscles that extend the knee. Structure The femoral nerve is the major nerve supplying the anterior compartment of the thigh. It is the largest ...

lumbosacral trunk The lumbosacral trunk is nervous tissue that connects the lumbar plexus with the sacral plexus. Structure The lumbosacral trunk comprises the whole of the ventral rami of L5 and a part of L4. It appears at the medial margin of the psoas major ...

, and

Clinical significance

The furcal nerve is found at various locations and can give problems in the diagnosis of a radiculopathy or sciatic pain. It is the main cause of atypical symptoms of sciatic and radicular pain, that are often due to lumbar disc herniation. A study found evidence of double-rooted abnormality in most of the cases looked at.

References

{{Reflist Nerves of the lower limb and lower torso