Review Questions for Brachial Plexus/ Overview of Arm

Question 1

What are the different types of humeral fractures?

Answer 1

Supracondylar fracture of humerus
Fracture of neck of Humerus 
Fracture of Surgical Neck
Fracture in shaft of humerus
Midshaft fracture

Question 2

What nerves flexes the distal interphalanges of ring and little fingers?

Answer 2

The ulnar nerve

Question 3

What artery and nerve can be injured/affected if there is a supracondylar fracture?

Answer 3

Brachial artery and median nerve

Question 4

What physical deficits of the arm can occur if a supracondylar fracture happens?

Answer 4

Weakness in pronation (palms facing down), flexion, and grip strength —-due to the median nerve being affected

Question 5

What can cause Volkmann’s ischemic contracture?

Answer 5

A supracondylar fracture

Question 6

IF there is a fracture in the surgical neck, what artery and nerve will be affected/injured?

Answer 6

the axillary nerve and posterior circumflex humeral artery (branch off third part of axillary artery)

Also note that the profunda brachii (branch off of brachial artery) anastomosis with posterior circumflex humeral artery

Question 7

What physical deficits of the arm can occur if a fracture of the surgical neck happens?

Answer 7

bruising and dimpling of upper arm OR if carpal tunnel if median nerve is compressed

Question 8

If there is a fracture in the shaft of the humerus, what nerve and artery is affected?

Answer 8

The radial nerve and the deep brachial artery

Question 9

What nerves are affected if there is a midshaft fracture?

Answer 9

Superficial nerves, such as:
Antebrachial cutaneous
Intercostal brachial cutaneous
The main nerves are too deep to be injured

Question 10

T1 is the principal motor supply for:

Answer 10

The flexion of fingers (median and ulnar nerves)

Question 11

What is the terminal branch of the posterior cord?

Answer 11

The axillary nerve

Question 12

What are the terminal branches of the medial cord?

Answer 12

Intercostal brachial and medial antebrachial cutaneous nerves

Question 13

What is the Sergeant’s patch?

Answer 13

skin over the lower aspect of the deltoid region (C4 dermatome)

Question 14

What is Nursemaid’s elbow?

Answer 14

When the hand of a child is pulled too hard so the head of the radius is pulled from the annular ligament—-happens in children under the age of 5 y/o

Question 15

What is popeye’s sign?

Answer 15

That is the bulging of the biceps brachii (long head) through the elbow

Question 16

What is a Ginglymus joint?

Answer 16

A hinge joint that allows flexion and extension of the humeroulnar joint.

Question 17

What is Monteggia’s fracture?

Answer 17

Fracture of the ulna and anterior displacement of radius

Question 18

What is Galeazza’s fracture?

Answer 18

Fracture of the radius associated with subluxation

Question 19

What is Colle’s fracture?

Answer 19

Also known as “diner’s fork”

A posterior displacement of distal end of radius

Question 20

What is Smith’s fracture?

Answer 20

Also known as “reverse Colle’s fascia”

Anterior displacement of distal end of radius (in palmar direction)

Question 21

What nerves branches off the upper trunk?

Answer 21

Suprascapular and subclavian nerve

Question 22

What does the suprascapular innervates?

Answer 22

Innervates the supraspinatus and infraspinatus

ABducts the scapula

Question 23

What is the spinal segment of spinal accessory nerve

(CN X)I?

Answer 23

axillary nerve –> C5-C6

Question 24

What does the axillary nerve innervates?

Answer 24

The teres minor and the deltoid

“laterally rotates arm and ABducts the arm 15-90 degrees”

Question 25

What roots of the brachial plexus (if injured) is responsible for “winged-scapula”?

Answer 25

ventral rami of C5-C7—> long thoracic nerve

Question 26

What roots of the brachial plexus keeps the diaphragm “alive”?

Answer 26

Accessory phrenic nerve —> C4 and C5

Question 27

Ventral Rami of T1 supplies what part of the skin?

Answer 27

medial side of arm and forearm

Question 28

What nerve is responsible for, if injured, “wrist drop” and weakened supination?

Answer 28

radial nerve

Question 29

Radial nerve damage in the spinal groove will paralyze what muscles of the hand?

Answer 29

ABductor pollicis and both extensors of the thumb.

Question 30

_______ causes paleness, coolness, and loss of pulse.

Answer 30

Compartment syndrome

Question 31

What artery branches off the first part of the axillary artery?

Answer 31

The superior thoracic artery

Question 32

What arteries branch off the second part of the axillary artery?

Answer 32

The thoracoacromial artery and lateral thoracic artery

Question 33

What arteries branch off the third part of the axillary artery?

Answer 33

Subscapular artery, anterior and posterior circumflex humeral artery

Question 34

The subscapular artery branches into?

Answer 34

The circumflex scapular AND thoracodorsal artery

Question 35

The circumflex scapular artery anastomosis with what arteries?

Answer 35

Dorsal scapular artery and suprascapular artery

Question 36

What muscles elevates the scapula?

Answer 36

deltoid, biceps brachii and coracobrachialis

Question 37

What ADducts the scapula?

Answer 37

Latissimus dorsi, teres major and pectoralis major

Question 38

When the shoulder “droops”, this shows that there is a problem with what nerve?

Answer 38

Spinal accessory nerve— plays a role in rotating the head and raising shoulders

Question 39

What is an example of a lower trunk (C8-T1) injury?

Answer 39

Klump’s paralysis or claw hand — when a baby is pulled out by its arm or a person reaches too far

Question 40

What is an example of Upper Trunk injury?

Answer 40

“Waiter’s tip” — increased angle between neck and shoulder

When the axillary nerve and musculocutaneous nerve is injured and the deltoid and teres minor isn’t innervated.

Medially rotated arm, ADducted shoulder, and arm is extended

Question 41

What nerve branches of the middle trunk?

Answer 41

The subscapular nerve which medially rotates arm (C7)