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Morphological study of the communication between the musculocutaneous and median nerves

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Abstract

We investigated the incidence of each pattern of the communications between the musculocutaneous and median nerves and discussed its morphological significance. The communications between both nerves were seen in 188 (41.5%) of 453 specimens. They were classified into five regular patterns according to their directions and formations. The incidence of the communication was significantly higher in those with excessive heads of biceps brachii than in those without them (p < 0.05). As a result, we established a classification of the regular pattern of the communications and revealed that the musculocutaneous and median nerves had the possibility of forming plexuses in the humeral area. The musculocutaneous nerves are regarded as the bundles that arise from the median nerve with the lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm and the branches to the biceps brachii and brachialis muscles.

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Acknowledgments

We greatly appreciate the technical assistance of Mr Yoshihiro Kumagai and Mrs Kayoko Kumagai (Department of Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University) during specimen preparation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic and Neuro-Musculoskeletal Surgery, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan

    Satoshi Maeda, Junji Ide, Akinari Tokiyoshi & Hiroshi Mizuta

  2. Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan

    Katsushi Kawai, Masahiro Koizumi & Kodo Kodama

Authors
  1. Satoshi Maeda
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  2. Katsushi Kawai
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  3. Masahiro Koizumi
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  4. Junji Ide
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  5. Akinari Tokiyoshi
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  6. Hiroshi Mizuta
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  7. Kodo Kodama
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Correspondence to Junji Ide.

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Maeda, S., Kawai, K., Koizumi, M. et al. Morphological study of the communication between the musculocutaneous and median nerves. Anat Sci Int 84, 34–40 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-008-0005-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-008-0005-y

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