Identify and clean the medial and lateral heads of the gastrocnemius muscle. (G 6.41B;N 503;Gl 32.20A)

1. Use your fingers to separate the gastrocnemius from the underlying structures. Identify the plantaris muscle. (G 6.42;N 504;Gl 32.20B)
2. Clean the neurovascular bundle entering the two heads of the gastrocnemius.
3. Separate the medial and lateral heads of the gastrocnemius muscle from each other and transect the two heads just distal   to where the neurovascular bundle enters each head (this will allow you to reflect the two heads when you clean the popliteal artery and its branches).
4. Identify the branches of the tibial nerve to the gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles. (G 6.42;N 528;Gl 34.37A)