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Innervation of the Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis muscle by the Median nerve is extremely rare
Author(s) -
Farkas Gabrielle A,
Anyah Anwuli,
Assefa Mahaletwork,
Borman William,
Fisher Cara,
Olinger Anthony
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.lb22
Subject(s) - anatomy , medicine , tendon , radial nerve , forearm , extensor digitorum communis , cadaver
Compartmentalization of skeletal musculature into distinct neuromuscular components is an important clinical consideration due to the regular use of tendon transfer surgeries. Traumatic injury can result in loss of function of the forearm musculature. The extensor carpi radialis muscles are often used in tendon transfer procedures to restore function after a traumatic injury. A recent study described a previously unreported variation whereby a portion of the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) muscle was innervated by a branch of the median nerve. This finding is of particular interest given the potential to then use that portion of the muscle to restore function via tendon transfer using a portion of an extensor muscle not innervated by the radial nerve. The purpose of the current study was to determine the frequency by which the ECRB was innervated by a branch of the median nerve. Upper limbs from 208 cadavers were dissected and examined to determine the innervation distribution of the ECRB. In all cases the ECRB was innervated entirely by branches of the radial nerve. The median nerve was never seen sending any branches to the ECRB. These findings suggest that the observation made in that study, whereby the median nerve innervated a part of the ECRB, is extremely rare and that this is not a frequent enough variation to rely on using a portion of the ECRB to restore function when the radial nerve has been compromised.