When harvesting autologous bone graft from the lateral calcaneus, what nerve should be avoided?

When harvesting autologous bone graft from the lateral calcaneus, avoiding the sural nerve is critical due to its anatomical proximity in that area. The sural nerve provides sensation to the skin on the lateral aspect of the foot and the heel. Injury to this nerve during a harvesting procedure could lead to complications such as numbness, tingling, or chronic pain along its distribution, which may significantly impact patient recovery and overall satisfaction.

The other nerves mentioned are not in the same anatomical region as the sural nerve, making them less of a concern in this particular procedure. The radial nerve primarily innervates the upper limb, the tibial nerve is a major nerve of the lower leg and foot but runs more medially, and the femoral nerve is located in the anterior thigh area. Thus, their relevance during graft harvesting from the lateral calcaneus is minimal compared to the need to safeguard the sural nerve.