Thoracic Part of Sympathetic Chain and its Branching Pattern Variations in South Indian Cadavers

The sympathetic trunks are two ganglionated nerve trunks that extend the whole length of the vertebral column.The two trunks end by joining together to form a single ganglion, the ganglion impar. The thoracic part of the sympathetic chain runs downward and leaves the thorax behind the medial arcuate ligament. The preganglionic fibers which are grouped together to forms planchnic nerves and supply the abdominal viscera. Anatomical variations of the thoracic sympathetic trunk in relation to intercostal nerves may be one of the reasons that cause surgical failures. Therefore, our present study aimed to investigate the sympathetic variations in the cadavers.