A Study on Anatomical Variations in the Formation of Brachial Plexus and Its Branches

Abstract

Background: The variable course of the nerves may be the cause of many neuralgic pains of the superior extremity. The knowledge of percentage of variations may help the surgeons in treating the cases of trauma & entrapment neuropathies.Materials and Methods: The present study in 70 upper limbs of 35 human cadavers over a period 1year at the department of Anatomy at Siddhartha medical college and surrounding medical colleges around Vijayawada. The detailed examination of the following nerves that is musculocutaneous, median, ulnar, radial and axillary nerves was done in the arm and following variations were observed.Results: Communication between musculocutaneous and median nerves in eleven limbs. Musculocutaneous nerve was absent in our limbs. Median nerve supplied muscles of front of arm where musculocutaneous nerve was absent in one limb. Musculocutaneous nerve did not pierce coracobrachialis muscle in seven limbs. The Communication between radial and ulnar nerve in one limb. Conclusion:Lesions of communicating nerve may give rise to pattern of weakness that may impose difficulty in diagnosis. So it is important to be aware of the variations that are observed and discussed in our study. Knowledge of these variations is important for neurologists, orthopaedicians and traumatologists as these may give rise to variable clinical picture depending upon the variations present.