Definition

1. Noun:
   • A network of nerves: The sacral plexus is a specific anatomical structure. It is a complex network of intersecting nerves, located in the pelvic cavity near the sacrum.
   • Formation and function: It is formed by the lumbosacral trunk (from the fourth and fifth lumbar nerves) and the first, second, and third sacral nerves. Its primary function is to supply motor and sensory innervation to the pelvic region, buttocks, genitals, and most of the lower limbs.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Damage to the sacral plexus can result in weakness or numbness in the leg.
  • The sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body, originates from the sacral plexus.
  • During the surgery, the surgeon carefully avoided the sacral plexus.

Advanced Usage

• Clinical/Medical Context: The term is used almost exclusively in medical, anatomical, and clinical contexts (e.g., neurology, orthopedics, surgery, physical therapy). It is used when discussing nerve injuries, surgical procedures, diagnostic imaging (like an MRI), or the effects of conditions like diabetes or tumors.
  • The MRI revealed a tumor impinging on the sacral plexus.

Variants and Related Words

• Lumbosacral Plexus: A term sometimes used to describe the combined lumbar and sacral plexuses as a functional unit.
• Plexus (n.): A general term for a network of nerves or blood vessels (e.g., brachial plexus, solar plexus).
• Sciatic Nerve (n.): The major nerve derived from the sacral plexus.

Synonyms

• There are no direct common-language synonyms for this precise anatomical term. In technical contexts, it may be referred to descriptively as:
  • The sacral nerve network

Related Phrases

• Plexopathy: A medical term for a disorder affecting a network of nerves (e.g., ).
• Nerve innervation: The supply of nerves to a specific organ or body part, which is the function of the sacral plexus.

Noun

1. a nerve plexus formed by the 4th and 5th lumbar and 1st, 2nd, 3rd sacral nerves; supplies the pelvic region and lower limbs