1.2.2 Axilla Brachial Plexus

Question 1

From what vertebral levels does the brachial plexus originate?

Answer 1

C5-T1

(Remember 5 spinal levels, starting at C5)

Question 2

Answer 2

Question 3

What are the five sections of the brachial plexus?

Answer 3

Roots, Trunks, Divisions, Cords, Branches (Randy Travis Drinks Cold Beer)

Question 4

What are the three nerves that come off of the roots of the brachial plexus? And, what do they innervate?

Answer 4

Question 5

What does the dorsal scapular nerve innervate?

Answer 5

Levator scapulae and rhomboids muscle

Question 6

What is innervated by the long thoracic nerve?

Answer 6

The serratus anterior (Remember SALT)

Question 7

What nerve comes off of the superior trunk and innervates the supraspinatus and infraspinatus?

Answer 7

Suprascapular nerve (C5,6)

Question 8

What is the saying for the suprascapular artery and nerve and their relationship to the superior transverse scapular ligament?

Answer 8

Artery (army) goes over the bridge and the nerve (navy) goes under the bridge

Question 9

How did the three cords of the brachial plexus get their name?

Answer 9

Their relationship to the axillary artery

Question 10

From where does the lateral pectoral nerve arise and what does it innervate?

Answer 10

It is a branch off of the lateral cord (C5,6,7)

Innervates pectoralis major

Question 11

What are the three nerves that come off of the medial cord?

Answer 11

Question 12

What does the median pectoral nerve innervate?

Answer 12

The pectoralis major and minor (C8,T1)

Question 13

What are the three nerves that come off of the posterior cord?

Answer 13

Upper subscapular nerve, thoracodorsal nerve, Lower subscapular nerve

Question 14

What does the upper subscapular nerve innervate?

Answer 14

The subscapularis muscle (C5,6)

Question 15

What does the thoracodorsal (medial subscapular nerve) innervate?

Answer 15

Latissimus dorsi muscle

Question 16

What does the lower subscapular nerve innervate?

Answer 16

Teres major (C6,7)

Question 17

What are the five terminal branches of the brachial plexus? the mneumonic?

Answer 17

Most, Alcoholics, Must, Really, Urinate

Musculocutaneous, Axillary, Median, Radial, and Ulnar

Question 18

What spinal level does the axillary nerve originate? Skin region and muscles does it innervate?

Answer 18

C5,6

skin over lower half of deltoid, deltoid, and teres minor

Question 19

A fracture at the surgical neck of the humerus can lead to the damage of what nerve?

Answer 19

axillary nerve

Question 20

What muscles are innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve?

Answer 20

coracobrachialis, biceps, brachialis, lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm

Question 21

What region of skin is innervated by a branch of the musculocutaneous branch?

Answer 21

Question 22

What is the function of the radial nerve on the joints?

Answer 22

Extends shoulder/humerus and elbow/forearm

Extends wrist

Question 23

What is the name for the compression of the radial nerve around the backside of the humerus?

Answer 23

“Saturday night palsy”

Question 24

What muscles are innervated by the median nerve of the hand?

Answer 24

“1/2 LOAF” for Lumbricals 1 & 2, Opponens pollicis, Abductor pollicis brevis and Flexor pollicis brevis

Question 25

What is the relationship b/t the roots and terminal branches?

Answer 25

Question 26

What are the two types of palsy associated with brachial plexus injuries?

Answer 26

Question 27

What type of movement can cause Erb’s palsy? (C5,6)

Answer 27

Excessive separation of the head and neck

Question 28

What is the typical position associated with Erb’s palsy?

Answer 28

“waiter’s tip appearance”

Question 29

Answer 29

Backpacker’s palsy

Question 30

What type of movement can result in klumpke’s palsy? It can present similarly to what other type of palsy?

Answer 30

Sudden pull of the arm; ulnar palsy and the “claw hand” appearance, difference usually found in the history

Question 31

Where is a brachial plexus block injected?

Answer 31

Angle b/t the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid and the clavicle