Premium
Patterns of connections between the musculocutaneous and median nerves in the axilla and arm
Author(s) -
Choi David,
RodríguezNiedenführ Marc,
Vázquez Teresa,
Parkin Ian,
Sañudo José R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
clinical anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1098-2353
pISSN - 0897-3806
DOI - 10.1002/ca.1085
Subject(s) - medicine , musculocutaneous nerve , anatomy , axilla , cadaver , median nerve , surgery , cancer , breast cancer
Variations in connections between the musculocutaneous and median nerves in the arm are not as uncommon as was once thought. This opinion led us to perform a study in 138 cadavers (66 male, 72 female). These variations were seen in 64 cadavers (46.4%), 9 bilaterally and 55 unilaterally (26 right and 29 left); in total, therefore, variations were observed in 73 out of 276 arms (26.4%), 42 male and 31 female. No statistically significant differences by gender and side were observed. We classify the variations in three main patterns: Pattern 1, fusion of both nerves (14 arms, 19.2%); Pattern 2, presence of one supplementary branch between both nerves (53 arms, 72.6%); and Pattern 3, two branches (5 arms, 6.8%). Pattern 2 was further subdivided into a sub‐group 2a when a single root from the musculocutaneous nerve contributed to the connection (51 arms, 69.9%), and 2b when there were two roots from the musculocutaneous nerve (2 arms, 2.7%). A combination of Patterns 1 and 2a was observed in one case (1.4%). Further variations are described, published classification systems are reviewed and a meta‐analysis of previous results is presented. An overall incidence of 33% of variant arms was observed. Of these variant arms, Pattern 1 represented 13.1%, Pattern 2 represented 75.4%, and Pattern 3, 8.5%, similar to our figures. Clin. Anat. 15:11–17, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.