For the contouring of calves, several surgical methods such as liposuction, resection of gastrocnemius muscle through selective neurotomy of motor nerve branch, have been introduced. It is impossible that calves are contoured by liposuction in case of muscular hypertrophy. It means that the contouring of calves, both the subcutaneous fat and underlying muscles resection method is very effective and has demonstrated satisfactory results. But this method is very invasive technique with notable scar. Also its major complications are injury of sural nerve and redundant skin as a result. On the other hand, denervation atrophy of gastrocnemius by selective neurotomy is less invasive, but it has been far less effective than muscle resection method. This study was performed to find out the causes of this dissatisfactory results of selective neurotomy based on experience of dissection of 42 popliteal fossae of 18 cadavers and 3 patients. The types and numbers of branching of motor nerves of tibial nerve to gastrocnemius were investigated and the results are as follows:
 Among the 42 popliteal fossae, 31(74%) of medial heads and 33(79%) of lateral heads were innervated by single motor nerve branch, and 11 of medial heads and 9 of lateral heads were innervated by 2 motor nerve branches. We could classify the latter into 2 types: the one was initially single branch and then bifurcated (10 medial heads and 6 lateral heads), the other was initially two branched (1 medial head and 3 lateral heads). In case that 2 motor nerves were initially branched, the mean distance between the branching points on the tibial nerve was 4.6 mm. In cases that medial and lateral heads were innervated by 2 motor nerves, the mean distance between the entrances was 8.2 mm, and this estimate represented just two-dimensional value. The motor nerves that entered more distally run beneath the gastrocnemius and these patterns can be taken for the motor nerves of soleus. Among the 18 cadavers and 3 patients, the same branching pattern of motor nerve between right and left was found in only 4 cadavers.
The results of the calf contouring with selective neurotomy have been so far disappointing. On the basis of knowledge about anatomical variation of motor branching pattern to gastrocnemius, the results can be improved if the procedures are performed more precisely.