Study of variations in the formation and branching pattern of lateral cord of brachial plexus- A detailed cadaveric study

Abstract

As the formation of brachial plexus involves numerous nerve roots, it is more common than rare to find variations in the formation and its branching pattern. Innumerable variations in the formation of lateral cord of brachial plexus and the branches of the lateral cord of brachial plexus are reported. This study is done with an intension to specifically look into the possible variations in the formation and branches of the lateral cord of brachial plexus only. The present study was carried on cadavers during undergraduate dissection, in the Department of Anatomy, Velammal Medical College, Annupanadi, Madurai, Tamilnadu India. In the present study The cadavers were dissected out to find the branching pattern of the Lateral cord and the observations were analysed, many variations in the branching patterns were observed, significant one being the musculocutaneous nerve being absent, coracobrachialis being supplied by branch from lateral root of median nerve, in another musculocutaneous nerve ends by supplying only coracobrachialis and the rest are supplied by the branches from median nerve. The frequency of anomalies found in the arrangement and distribution of lateral cord and its branches makes this anatomic region complicated with regard to surgical approaches.