Microsurgical Anatomy of Branches of Musculocutaneous Nerve: Clinical Relevance for Spastic Elbow Surgery

Overview

Journal Surg Radiol Anat

Specialties Anatomy & Histology
General Surgery
Radiology

Date 2017 Jan 1

PMID 28039506

Citations 3

Authors

C Thieffry

L Chenin

P Foulon

E Havet

J Peltier

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: The neurotomy of musculocutaneous nerve is a treatment for patients who suffer from spastic elbow flexion when medical and reeducative treatments have failed. It consists in sectioning motor branches of musculocutaneous nerve which are destined to the biceps brachii and brachialis muscles, both being the main elbow flexor muscles. The aim of this study was to analyse the distance, where each motor branch arises from the musculocutaneous nerve to both biceps brachii and brachialis muscles, to establish precisely the localisation and length of the necessary incision to reach its branches for surgery.

Materials And Methods: Eighteen musculocutaneous nerves from ten cadavers were dissected. None of them reported with a previous pathology. The cadavers were laid on the back with 30-35° of abduction, a complete extension, and supination of the upper limb.

Results: The localization of motor branches was to be found in the middle third of the upper arm, with an average from the base of the humeral major tubercle of 11.46, 12.40, and 12.87 cm for the biceps brachii and 16.36, 19.10, and 16.88 cm for the brachialis muscle.

Conclusion: The incision needed to reach the motor branches of the musculocutaneous nerve should be localised between 10 and 20 cm from the major humeral tubercle and may be shorter than usual.

Citing Articles

The utility of selective partial neurectomy of the musculocutaneous nerve in children with bilateral spastic elbow.

Heredia-Gutierrez A, Carbarin-Carbarin M, Torres-Garcia S, Gonzalez-Carranza V, Chico-Ponce de Leon F Childs Nerv Syst. 2023; 39(12):3509-3514.

PMID: 37266682 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-023-06009-9.

Morphology and relationships of the biceps brachii and brachialis with the musculocutaneous nerve.

Yamamoto M, Kojyo U, Yanagisawa N, Mitomo K, Takayama T, Sakiyama K Surg Radiol Anat. 2017; 40(3):303-311.

PMID: 28894922 DOI: 10.1007/s00276-017-1919-7.

Comment on: "Microsurgical anatomy of branches of musculocutaneous nerve: clinical relevance for spastic elbow surgery". Thieffry C, Chenin L, Foulon P, Havet E, Peltier J (2017) Surg Radiol Anat 39(7):773-778.

Cambon-Binder A, Leclercq C Surg Radiol Anat. 2017; 40(3):343-344.

PMID: 28825115 DOI: 10.1007/s00276-017-1913-0.

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