Anatomical study of variations of musculocutaneous nerve

Abstract

Abstract Background and aim: The musculocutaneous nerve is responsible for the innervation of the flex or musculature of the elbow and the skin sensitivity from elbow to wrist by an anterior and posterior branch along the radial border of the forearm Variation in the origin, course, branching pattern and termination of musculocutaneous nerve in the arm has been often reported earlier and the present study about the variations of musculocutaneous nerve was carried out to identity more such variations in South Indian Subjects. Materials and methods: The study was carried out on 40 formalin preserved cadavers i.e. 80 upper limbs. Results: Variations were found in four separate limbs, in two limbs the musculocutaneous nerve was absent (2.5%), in one limb there was a distal communication between musculocutaneous nerve and median nerve associated with the three - headed biceps muscle (1.25%) and in one limb the musculocutaneous nerve neither pierced the coracobrachialis nor had any communication with median nerve (1.25%). Conclusion: Such anatomical variations in musculocutaneous nerve would be of value to the practicing neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, anesthetists during surgical procedures including brachial plexus block.