Which nerve injury might cause loss of sensation on the lateral aspect of the leg and the dorsum of the foot?

A common peroneal nerve injury can indeed lead to loss of sensation on the lateral aspect of the leg and the dorsum of the foot. This is due to the anatomical pathways of the common peroneal nerve, which branches off from the sciatic nerve and runs laterally around the head of the fibula before dividing into the superficial and deep peroneal nerves.

The superficial peroneal nerve provides sensory innervation to the lateral aspect of the leg and the dorsum of the foot, while the deep peroneal nerve innervates the area between the first and second toes on the dorsum. Therefore, an injury to the common peroneal nerve can disrupt these sensory nerve pathways, resulting in diminished or altered sensation in these regions.

Other nerves mentioned do not affect the areas indicated in the question. The tibial nerve primarily innervates the plantar aspect of the foot and does not typically impact sensation on the dorsum or the lateral side of the leg. The femoral nerve is mainly responsible for anterior thigh sensation and does not cover the areas in question. The gluteal nerve primarily serves the muscles of the gluteal region and does not directly relate to sensation in the lower leg or foot.