1.2.2 Axilla Brachial Plexus Flashcards
From what vertebral levels does the brachial plexus originate?
C5-T1
(Remember 5 spinal levels, starting at C5)
What are the five sections of the brachial plexus?
Roots, Trunks, Divisions, Cords, Branches (Randy Travis Drinks Cold Beer)
What are the three nerves that come off of the roots of the brachial plexus? And, what do they innervate?
What does the dorsal scapular nerve innervate?
Levator scapulae and rhomboids muscle
What is innervated by the long thoracic nerve?
The serratus anterior (Remember SALT)
What nerve comes off of the superior trunk and innervates the supraspinatus and infraspinatus?
Suprascapular nerve (C5,6)
What is the saying for the suprascapular artery and nerve and their relationship to the superior transverse scapular ligament?
Artery (army) goes over the bridge and the nerve (navy) goes under the bridge
How did the three cords of the brachial plexus get their name?
Their relationship to the axillary artery
From where does the lateral pectoral nerve arise and what does it innervate?
It is a branch off of the lateral cord (C5,6,7)
Innervates pectoralis major
What are the three nerves that come off of the medial cord?
What does the median pectoral nerve innervate?
The pectoralis major and minor (C8,T1)
What are the three nerves that come off of the posterior cord?
Upper subscapular nerve, thoracodorsal nerve, Lower subscapular nerve
What does the upper subscapular nerve innervate?
The subscapularis muscle (C5,6)
What does the thoracodorsal (medial subscapular nerve) innervate?
Latissimus dorsi muscle
What does the lower subscapular nerve innervate?
Teres major (C6,7)
What are the five terminal branches of the brachial plexus? the mneumonic?
Most, Alcoholics, Must, Really, Urinate
Musculocutaneous, Axillary, Median, Radial, and Ulnar
What spinal level does the axillary nerve originate? Skin region and muscles does it innervate?
C5,6
skin over lower half of deltoid, deltoid, and teres minor
A fracture at the surgical neck of the humerus can lead to the damage of what nerve?
axillary nerve
What muscles are innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve?
coracobrachialis, biceps, brachialis, lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm
What region of skin is innervated by a branch of the musculocutaneous branch?
What is the function of the radial nerve on the joints?
Extends shoulder/humerus and elbow/forearm
Extends wrist
What is the name for the compression of the radial nerve around the backside of the humerus?
“Saturday night palsy”
What muscles are innervated by the median nerve of the hand?
“1/2 LOAF” for Lumbricals 1 & 2, Opponens pollicis, Abductor pollicis brevis and Flexor pollicis brevis
What is the relationship b/t the roots and terminal branches?
What are the two types of palsy associated with brachial plexus injuries?
What type of movement can cause Erb’s palsy? (C5,6)
Excessive separation of the head and neck
What is the typical position associated with Erb’s palsy?
“waiter’s tip appearance”
Backpacker’s palsy
What type of movement can result in klumpke’s palsy? It can present similarly to what other type of palsy?
Sudden pull of the arm; ulnar palsy and the “claw hand” appearance, difference usually found in the history
Where is a brachial plexus block injected?
Angle b/t the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid and the clavicle
