Table E: Brachial Plexus

(Distal Aspect #1)

Liz Osantowski
Max Patterson
Brachial Plexus

 Origin to terminal branches:

 Roots (5)
 Trunks (3)
 Divisions (2)
 Anterior/Posterior
 Cords (3)
 Terminal branches (5)
Cords
 Lateral cords
 Musculocutaneous nerve
 Median nerve
 Medial cords
 Median nerve
 Ulnar nerve
 Posterior cords
 Upper subscapular nerve
 Lower subscapular nerve
 Thoracodorsal nerve
 Axillary Nerve
 Radial Nerve
Brachial Plexus

 Musculocutaneous Nerve
 Median Nerve
 Ulnar Nerve
 Radial Nerve
 Axillary Nerve
Musculocutaneous Nerve

 Origin: C5-C7
 Supplies:
 Motor: muscles of anterior compartment of arm
 Sensory: skin of lateral aspect of forearm
Median Nerve

 Origin: C6–T1
 Supplies:
 Motor: muscles of anterior forearm compartment
 Except for: flexor carpi ulnaris and half of flexor digitorum profundus
 Sensory: five intrinsic muscles in half of palm and palmar skin
Ulnar Nerve

 Origin: C8-T1
 Supplies:
 Motor: flexor carpi ulnaris and ulnar half of flexor digitorum profundus; most
intrinsic muscle of hand
 Sensory: skin of hand medial to axial line of digit 4
Radial Nerve

 Origin: C5-T1
 Supplies:
 Motor: ALL muscles of posterior compartments of arm and forearm
 Sensory: skin of posterior and inferolateral arm, posterior forearm, and dorsum of
hand lateral to axial line of digit 4
Axillary Nerve

 Origin: C5 and C6
 Supplies:
 Motor: Teres minor and Deltoid muscles
 Sensory: skin of superolateral arm
Other Axilla Nerves
 Lateral Pectoral Nerve
 Origin: C5, C6, C7
 Supplies: pectoralis major, some to the pectoralis minor
 Medial Pectoral Nerve
 Origin: C8, T1
 Supplies: pectoralis minor and sternocostal part of pectoralis major
 Medial cutaneous nerve of the arm
 Origin: C8-T1
 Supplies: skin of the medial side of arm (sensory)
 As far distal as medial epicondyle of humerus and olecranon of ulna

 Medial cutaneous nerve of the forearm

 Origin: C8-T1
 Supplies: skin of the medial side of forearm (sensory)
 as far distal as wrist
Continued..

 Upper subscapular nerve

 Origin: C5, C6
 Supplies: superior portion of the subscapularis
 Lower subscapular nerve
 Origin: C5, C6
 Supplies: inferior portion of the subscapularis and teres major
 Thoracodorsal nerve (middle nerve)
 Origin: C6, C7, C8
 Supplies: latissimus dorsi
Can’t be seen on Cadaver

 Superior, middle, and inferior trunks

 Anterior and posterior divisions
 Lateral pectoral nerve
 Medial pectoral nerve
 Medial cutaneous nerve of the arm
 Upper subscapular nerve
 Lower subscapular nerve
 Thoracodorsal nerve
Structures in this region

 Clavicle
 Axillary artery and vein
 Pectoralis major and minor
 Deltoid
 Latissimus dorsi
 Subscapularis
 Sternocleidomastoid
Structures that can’t be seen

 Latissimus dorsi
 Sternocleidomastoid
Clinical Applications

 Radial Neuropathy
 Thoracodorsal Nerve Injury
 Lateral Cord Injury
Radial Neuropathy
 Results from trauma or compression to
the radial nerve
 Also known as “Saturday Night Palsy” or
“Honeymoon Palsy”
 “Saturday Night Palsy”
 A person falls asleep with the back of
their arm compressed by the back of the
chair
 “Honeymoon Palsy”
 A person puts their arm around someone
else and falls asleep
 “Crutch Palsy”
 Compression on nerve from walking with
crutches
Thoracodorsal Nerve Injury
 Vulnerable to injury during surgery on scapular lymph nodes
 Results in paralysis of the latissimus dorsi
 Weakened ability to extend, adduct, and medially rotate the arm

Lateral Cord Injury

 Results in
 Paralysis of biceps and coracobrachialis and the muscles supplied by the median
nerve
 Midprone forearm
 Loss of flexion of elbow and wrist
 Sensory loss on the radial side of the forearm