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Location of nerve entry points of flexor digitorum profundus

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to elucidate the anatomical location of nerve entry points of Flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) and its implications for non-surgical neurolysis. A total of 21 amputated forearms of 11 Korean fresh cadavers were dissected. Two transverse x-axes joined the medial and lateral epicondyles and the radial and ulnar styloid processes. The longitudinal y-axis joined the midpoints of the proximal and distal transverse x-axes. The locations of the points were marked relative to the forearm length (x) and forearm width (y). The number of nerve entry points from median nerve and ulnar nerve were average 3.91 ± 0.62 (range 3–5, median 4) and 2.14 ± 0.65 (range 1–3, median 2) respectively. Most (82.9%) nerve entry points of FDP from the median nerve were within two circles, with 15 mm diameter. The two circles were on medial 1/10 of forearm width from the y-axis, and on proximal 1/3 (1:2) and 2/5 (2:3) of forearm length on x-axis. Most (80.0%) nerve entry points of the ulnar nerve innervating FDP were within a 15 × 30 mm rectangle. Its center was located at +26.5% on x-axis and −36.0% on y-axis. The nerve entry points used to be selected in performing non-surgical neurolysis with either ethyl alcohol (50%) or phenol (5–12%).

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express our thanks to Dr Robert S. Chung, MD, FACS, Genetic Institute, Orange County, CA, for reviewing this manuscript. We are also grateful to Kwan Hyun Yoon, M.A. for his illustrations. This work was supported by grant (R01-2005-000-10018-0) from the Basic Research Program of the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic Surgery, Center for Advanced Medical Education by BK21 project, Inha University College of Medicine, 7-206 Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon, 400-711, South Korea

    K. Hwang & S. Jin

  2. Bedford School, Bedford, MK40 2TU, UK

    S.-H. Hwang

  3. Inha Research Institute for Medical Science, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea

    S.-H. Hwang

  4. Department of Rehabilitation, Chungbuk University Medical School, Chungju, South Korea

    K.-M. Lee

  5. Department of Anatomy and Institute for Applied Anatomy, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea

    S.-H. Han

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  1. K. Hwang
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  2. S. Jin
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  3. S.-H. Hwang
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  4. K.-M. Lee
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  5. S.-H. Han
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Correspondence to K. Hwang.

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Hwang, K., Jin, S., Hwang, SH. et al. Location of nerve entry points of flexor digitorum profundus. Surg Radiol Anat 29, 617–621 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-007-0260-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-007-0260-y

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