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Possible anastomoses between the long branches of the brachial plexus and their clinical significance
Affiliations- Department of Anatomical Dissection and Donation, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery and Ochsner Neuroscience Institute, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George’s University, True Blue, Grenada
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Abstract
The brachial plexus consists of nerves that supply the upper limb and some nerves of the back, torso, and neck. It is formed by the ventral rami of C5 to T1 (in some cases, C4 or T2 also contribute). The anterior rami of the spinal nerves unite to the roots, trunks, divisions, cords, and terminal branches that innervate muscles and skin. An example is associated with terminal branches of the long nerves. Knowledge of this variation is necessary for enabling surgeons, orthopedists, and neurologists to avoid injury during surgical exploration in the arm or axilla region, and for achieving correct diagnoses, because such variability can evoke nonspecific responses. Awareness of this anastomosis is also mandatory for anesthetists performing anesthesia in the upper limb region. The aim of this article is to describe anastomoses between long nerves from the brachial plexus and to consider their clinical significance.
Abstract
The brachial plexus consists of nerves that supply the upper limb and some nerves of the back, torso, and neck. It is formed by the ventral rami of C5 to T1 (in some cases, C4 or T2 also contribute). The anterior rami of the spinal nerves unite to the roots, trunks, divisions, cords, and terminal branches that innervate muscles and skin. An example is associated with terminal branches of the long nerves. Knowledge of this variation is necessary for enabling surgeons, orthopedists, and neurologists to avoid injury during surgical exploration in the arm or axilla region, and for achieving correct diagnoses, because such variability can evoke nonspecific responses. Awareness of this anastomosis is also mandatory for anesthetists performing anesthesia in the upper limb region. The aim of this article is to describe anastomoses between long nerves from the brachial plexus and to consider their clinical significance.
Keywords
Brachial plexus, medial brachial cutaneous nerve, medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve, median nerve, musculocutaneous nerve, radial nerve, ulnar nerve
About this articleTitle
Possible anastomoses between the long branches of the brachial plexus and their clinical significance
Journal
Issue
Article type
Review article
Published online
2024-04-03
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90
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73
DOI
Pubmed
Keywords
Brachial plexus
medial brachial cutaneous nerve
medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve
median nerve
musculocutaneous nerve
radial nerve
ulnar nerve
Authors
Karolina Sujka
Nicol Zielinska
Richard Shane Tubbs
Łukasz Olewnik
