Spinal Nerves Flashcards
Paralysis of serratus anterior:
* What nerve is damaged?
* What does it cause?
* What is the appearance?
* What cannot be done?
- Injury to the long thoracic nerve
- The medial border of the scapula moves laterally and posteriorly away from the thoracic wall
- This gives the scapula the appearance of a wing. When the arm is raised, the medial border and inferior angle of the scapula pull markedly away from the posterior thoracic wall, a deformation known as a winged scapula
- The arm cannot be abducted above the horizontal position because the serratus anterior is unable to rotate the glenoid cavity superiorly to allow complete abduction of the limb.
For lateral winging what is injuried?
Probelm with/injury to spinal accessory nerve to trapezius or dorsal scapular nerve to rhomboids
What are the boundaries of the axilla?
- Anterior: pectoralis major and minor
- Medial: serratus anterior or ribs
- Lateral: proximal shaft of humerus
- Posterior: Subscapularis+teres major+lat dorsi
- Base: skin or axilla (arm pit) or 5th rib
Where is the thoraic outlet?
Btw first rib and clavical
What is a type of thoracic outlet syndromes? What is the cause and what are the symptoms?
Costoclavicular syndrome— pallor and coldness of the skin of the upper limb and diminished radial pulse resulting from compression of the subclavian artery between the clavicle and the 1st rib, particularly when the angle between the neck and the shoulder is increased.
What does the musculocutaneous nerve inn motor and cutaneous?
Motor:
- Coracobrachialis
- Biceps brachii
- Brachialis
Cutaneous:
- Lateral forearm
What is the motor and cutanous inn of the median nerve?
Motor:
- Most anterior forearm compartment muscles expect FCU and FDP
Cutaneous:
* Lateral palm and fingers 1-3
What is the motor and cutaneous inn of the axillary nerve?
Motor:
- Teres minor
- Deltoid
Cutaneous:
- Inferior deltoid
What is the motor and cutaneous inn of ulnar nerve?
Motor:
- FCU
- Intrinsic hand muscles (form a fist)
Cutaneous:
- 4th & 5th finger, palmar and dorsal hand.
What is the motor and cutaneous inn of the radial nerve?
Motor:
- All posterior arm and forearm muscles
Cutaneous:
- Posterior arm, forearm, most of lateral dorsal hand
What runs in the medial aspect of the bicep
Ulnar nerve, brachial artery ad median nerve
What can be injuried in a fractured humerus?
- Radial nerve because it runs posterior to the humerus
- BUT: Near the head of the humerus is the axillary nerve!
What runs close to the median nerve?
Brachial artery and vein
What is the roof of the carpal tunnel?
Flexor retinaculum
- When does atrophy of the deltoid occur?
- What does it look like?
- Atrophy of the deltoid occurs when the axillary nerve (C5 and C6) is severely damaged (e.g., as might occur when the surgical neck of the humerus is fractured).
- As the deltoid atrophies unilaterally, the rounded contour of the shoulder disappears, resulting in visible asymmetry of the shoulder outlines. This gives the shoulder a flattened appearance and produces a slight hollow inferior to the acromion.
Musculocutaneus nerve injury:
* Inflicted by what?
* What does it result in?
* Loss of what?
- Injury to the musculocutaneous nerve in the axilla is usually inflicted by a weapon such as a knife.
- A musculocutaneous nerve injury results in paralysis of the coracobrachialis, biceps, and brachialis; consequently, flexion of the elbow and supination of the forearm are greatly weakened.
- Loss of sensation may occur on the lateral surface of the forearm supplied by the lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm.
- What is the carpal tunnel syndrome from?
- What is the most sensitive structure in the carpal tunel?
- Results from any lesion that significantly reduces the size of the carpal tunnel or, more commonly, increases the size of some of the structures (or their coverings) that pass through it (e.g., inflammation of the synovial sheaths).
- The median nerve is the most sensitive structure in the carpal tunnel and, therefore, it is the most affected
Lesions of the median nerve usually occur in two places: Explain the difference and what happens in each
Wrist
- Most common site is where nerve passes through the carpal tunnel.
- Laceration of wrist often causes median nerve injury because nerve relatively close to surface.
- Paralysis and wasting of the thenar muscles and the first two lumbrical muscles.
- Opposition of the thumb is not possible, and fine movements of the 2nd and 3rd digits are impaired.
- Sensation lost over the thumb and adjacent two and a half digits.
Forearm
- Perforating wound in elbow region results in loss of flexion of the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints of the 2nd and 3rd digits.
- This condition is caused by the inability to oppose and by limited abduction of the thumb (Fig. B3.16).
Ulnar nerve injury:
* Where is injury?
* What happens when there is an injury at the elbow, wrist or hand?
* What happens when their is compression of the ulnar nerve?
Injury posterior to the medial epicondyle of the humerus most common.
Ulnar nerve injury occurring at the elbow, wrist, or hand
- extensive motor and sensory loss to the hand.
- denervates most intrinsic hand muscles - difficulty making a fist
- cannot extend the interphalangeal joints when trying to straighten the fingers. characteristic appearance of claw hand
Compression of the ulnar nerve through the ulnar tunnel (Guyon tunnel).
- Ulnar canal syndrome is manifest by hypoesthesia in the medial one and one half fingers and weakness of the intrinsic hand muscles.
- Clawing of the 4th and 5th fingers may occur
What is handlebar neuropathy?
a neuropathy caused by extrinsic repetitive compression of ulnar nerve at wrist.