Rare bilateral aberrant genitofemoral and left sided unsplit iliohyphogastric ilioinguinal nerves: clinical consideration

The knowledge of anatomical variation of lumbar plexus helps to interpret the causes of lumbar plexopathies and at the same time minimise iatrogenic nerve injuries. This report describes a unique variation in the branching pattern of lumbar plexus in a 63-year-old male's cadaver. On both sides, the genitofemoral nerve emerged from the lateral border of the psoas major instead of from its ventral surface. Furthermore, on the left side, the iliohypogastric and the ilioinguinal nerve had a common trunk before its bifurcation which took place just proximal to the lateral end of the left inguinal ligament. The rest of the branches of the lumbar plexus on both sides were normal. In the present case, the bilateral genitofemoral emergence from the lateral border of the psoas major is a very rare aberration having immense relevance in the clinical management of genitofemoral neuralgia.