BRACHIAL PLEXUS

Dr. Fatima Rehman

 What is a Brachial Plexus ?

Brachial Plexus are complicated

plexus of nerves present at the
root of the neck to enter the
upper limb
This allows the nerve fibers derived
from different segments of the
spinal cord to be arranged and
distributed efficiently in different
nerve trunks to the various parts of
the upper limb
 Location & Formation
Brachial Plexus is present in the lower part of the posterior
triangle of the neck & Axilla

It is formed by the union of the anterior rami of the 5 th, 6th,

7th and 8th cervical and the 1st thoracic spinal nerves
 Formation

The Plexus can be divided into:

• Roots

• Trunks

• Divisions

• cords
The roots of C5 & 6 unite to form upper trunk

The root of C7 continues as the middle trunk

The roots of C8 & T1 unite to form lower trunk

 Divisions

Each trunk divides into anterior and

Posterior divisions
• The anterior divisions of the upper and middle
trunks unite to form the lateral cord

• The anterior division of the lower trunk

continues as the medial cord

• The posterior divisions of all three trunks join to

form the posterior trunk
 Branches

The branches of the different parts of the

brachial plexus are:

 Roots:
• Dorsal
scapular
nerve (C5)

• Long
thoracic
nerve (C5,
6 and 7)
 Upper Trunk:
• Nerve to
subclavius (C5
and 6)

• Suprascapular
nerve (supplies
the
supraspinatus
and
infraspinatus
muscles)
 Lateral Cord:
• Lateral pectoral
nerve

• Musculocutaneous
nerve

• Lateral root of
median nerve
 Medial Cord
• Medial pectoral
nerve

• Medial
cutaneous
nerve of arm
and medial
cutaneous
nerve of
forearm

• Ulnar nerve

• Medial root of
median nerve
Posterior Cord

• Upper and
lower
subscapular
nerves

• Thoracodorsal
nerve

• Axillary nerve

• Radial nerve
 Erb’s palsy
 Characterized by arm
weakness
 Loss of motion.
 Can occur in both
infants and adults
 Typically caused by a
physical injury during
delivery of a child
 The roots of brachial
plexus are involved
Thank you