blood supply

Last reviewed 01/2018

The blood supply to a peripheral nerve is from two sources:

  • extrinsic supply:
    • derived from vessels running in the fascia, perforating through muscle or from the periosteum of bones
    • joins the nerve via a mesoneurium
    • arborizes on the epineurial surface of the nerve
  • intrinsic supply:
    • an intraneural microvascular plexus that is located in all layers of the nerve but particularly along the internal epineurium and within the endoneurium
    • anastomoses with the extrinsic supply