Brachial Plexus Flashcards by Charlotte Woltynski

A: Upper trunk
B: Lower trunk
C: Long thoracic nerve
D: Posterior cord
E: Axillary nerve
F: Radial nerve
G: Musculocutaneous nerve
H: Median nerve
I: Ulnar nerve

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Describe the brachial plexus

A network of nerves derived from the anterior rami of the C5–T1 spinal nerves that give rise to the peripheral nerves of the upper limb and shoulder

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What spinal nerves make up the brachial plexus?

C5, C6, C7, C8, T1

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‘Remember To Drink Cold Beer’

Roots
Trunks
Divisions
Cords
Branches

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What forms the roots of the brachial plexus?

Anterior rami of C5–T1 spinal nerves (i.e., five roots)

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What nerves come directly from the roots of the brachial plexus?

Dorsal scapular nerve (C5)

Long thoracic nerve (C5, C6, C7)

1st intercostal nerve (T1)

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What nerve root(s) does the dorsal scapular nerve arise from?

Arises directly from C5

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Which muscles does the dorsal scapular nerve innervate?

Innervates the rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, and levator scapulae muscles

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What nerve root(s) does the long thoracic nerve derive from?

Long thoracic nerve: arises from roots C5, C6, and C7

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What muscle does the long thoracic nerve innervate?

Serratus anterior

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Where are the trunks of the brachial plexus found?

Neck

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What forms the trunks of the brachial plexus?

The roots form three trunks that are located in the neck

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Name the trunks of the brachial plexus

Upper trunk

Middle trunk

Lower trunk

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Which spinal nerve roots form the upper trunk of the brachial plexus?

C5 + C6

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Which spinal nerve roots form the middle trunk of the brachial plexus?

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Which spinal nerve roots form the lower trunk of the brachial plexus?

C8 + T1

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Which nerves branch directly from the upper trunk of the brachial plexus?

Suprascapular nerve

Nerve to subclavius

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Where do the suprascapular nerve + the nerve to subclavius branch from?

Directly from the upper trunk of the brachial plexus

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What muscles does the suprascapular nerve innervate?

Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus

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What muscle does the nerve to subclavius innervate?

Subclavius nerve

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Where are the divisions of the brachial plexus found?

Axillary fossa

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What forms the divisions of the brachial plexus

All three trunks separate into an anterior and posterior division that enters into the axillary fossa.

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What division of the brachial plexus innervates the extensor compartment of the arm and forearm?

All three posterior divisions (of the upper, middle and lower trunk) innervate the extensor compartment of the arm and forearm (i.e., the posterior compartment).

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What division of the brachial plexus innervates the flexor compartment of the arm and forearm?

All three anterior divisions innervate the flexor compartment of the arm and forearm (i.e., the anterior compartment).

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Where do the cords lie

Only the cords and proximal portions of their branches lie in the axilla.

How many cords are there

How are the cords of the brachial plexus named?

According to their position in relation to the axillary artery

What forms the posterior cord of the brachial plexus?

The posterior divisions of all the trunks form the posterior cord of the brachial plexus.

What forms the lateral cord of the brachial plexus?

The anterior divisions of upper and middle trunks form the lateral cord of the brachial plexus.

What forms the medial cord of the brachial plexus

The anterior division of the lower trunks forms the medial cord of the brachial plexus.

Functional significance of the brachial plexus (motor)

Motor innervation: all upper limb and shoulder muscles (except for the trapezius, which is supplied by the spinal accessory nerve)

Functional significance of the brachial plexus (sensory)

Sensory innervation: the axilla and upper limb (except for the medial portion of the arm, which is supplied by the intercostobrachial nerve)

What spinal nerve roots form the musculocutaneous nerve?

C5, C6, C7

Which muscles does the musculocutaneous nerve innervate?

Biceps Brachialis Coracobrachialis

Sensory areas innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve

Lateral aspect of the forearm

Spinal nerve roots of the Lateral pectoral nerve

C5, C6, C7

Muscle(s) innervated by the lateral pectoral nerve

Pectoralis major

Nerves coming from the lateral cord of the brachial plexus

Musculocutaneous nerve Lateral pectoral nerve Lateral root of median nerve

Nerve root of upper subscapular nerve

Muscle(s) innervated by the upper subscapular nerve

Subscapularis

Nerve root of lower subscapular nerve

C6, C7, C8

Muscles innervated by the lower subscapular nerve

Subscapularis Teres major

Muscle innervated by the thoracodorsal nerve

Latisimus dorsi

Nerve root of latisimus dorsi

Senssory innervation of upper subscapular nerve, lower subscapular nerve and thoracodorsal nerve

None

Areas innervated by the radial nerve (sensory)

Radial ⅔ of the dorsal aspect of the hand Dorsal aspect of the radial 3 ½ fingers (except the area supplied by the median nerve) Autonomous sensory zone: 1st web space (between the thumb and index finger)

Areas innervated by the axillary nerve (sensory)

Skin of the superolateral arm (over the inferior part of the deltoid muscle)

Muscles innervated by the axillary nerve

Shoulder joint Teres minor Deltoid muscle

Muscles innervated by the radial nerve

Triceps brachii, anconeus Lateral part of the brachialis Posterior (extensor) compartment of the forearm

Nerve roots of radial nerve

C5, C6, C7, C8, T1

Nerve roots of axillary nerve

C5 + C6

What nerves come from the posterior cord of the brachial plexus

Upper subscapular nerve Lower subscpaular nerve Thoracodorsal nerve Radial nerve Axillary nerve

What nerves come from medial cord of the brachial plexus

Medial root median nerve Medial pectoral nerve Medial cutaneous nerve of the forearm Medial cutaneous nerve of the arm Ulnar nerve

Nerve roots of: Medial root median nerve Medial pectoral nerve Medial cutaneous nerve of the forearm Medial cutaneous nerve of the arm Ulnar nerve

C8 + T1

Which muscles do the medial pectoral nerve innervate

Pectoralis major Pectoralis minor

Which muscles does the ulnar nerve innervate?

Forearm: flexor carpi ulnaris and the medial half of the flexor digitorum profundus Hand: all muscles except those supplied by the median nerve

Sensory innervation of ulnar nerve

Ulnar ⅓ of the palm Palmar and dorsal aspects of the ulnar 1 ½ fingers (i.e., the little finger and the ulnar side of the ring finger) Autonomous sensory zone: tip of the little finger

Sensory innervation of medial cutaneous nerve of the forearm

Skin over the medial forearm

Sensory innervation of medial cutaneous nerve of the arm

Inferomedial aspect of the arm

Cross section of a peripheral nerve

What forms the lateral cord?

The anterior divisions of the upper and middle trunk

What forms the posterior cord?

The posterior divisions of the upper, middle and lower trunk

What forms the medial cord?

The anterior division of the lower trunk

Musculocutaneous nerve branches from

The lateral cord

The axillary nerve branches from the

The posterior cord

The radial nerve branches from the

Posterior cord

The ulnar nerve branches from the

Medial cord

The median nerve branches from the

Lateral & medial cords

Nerve from C5 nerve root

Dorsal scapular nerve

Dorsal scapular nerve origin

C5 nerve root

Muscles innervated by the dorsal scapular nerve

Rhomboid major Rhomboid minor Levator scapular muscle

Long thoracic nerve origin

C5, C6, C7 nerve roots

Nerve coming from C5, C6, C7 nerve roots

Long thoracic nerve

Muscle(s) innervated by the long thoracic nerve

Serratus anterior

Nerves coming from the upper trunk

Suprascapular nerve Nerve to subclavius

Where does the suprascapular nerve come from?

Upper trunk

Where does the nerve to subclavius come from?

Upper trunk

Muscles innervated by the suprascapular nerve

Supraspinatus Infraspinatus

Muscles innervated by the nerve to subclavius

Subclavius muscle

Branches coming from the lateral cord

Musculocutaneous nerve Lateral pectoral nerve

What does the lateral pectoral nerve innervate?

Pectoralis major

Branches coming from the posterior cord

Radial nerve Axillary nerve Upper subscapular nerve Lower subscapular nerve Thoracodorsal nerve

Muscles innervated by the upper subscapular nerve

subscapularis muscle

Muscles innervated by the thoracodorsal nerve

latissimus dorsi

Muscles innervated by the lower subscapular nerve

Teres major Subscapularis

Innervation of the pectoralis major

Medial and lateral pectoral nerves

Innervation of the subscapularis

Upper and lower subscapular nerve

Innervation of the latissimus dorsi

Thoracodorsal nerve

Innervation of the teres major

lower subscapular nerve

Branches coming from the medial cord

Median (with lateral cord) Ulnar Medial pectoral nerve Medial brachial cutaneous nerve Medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve

What does the medial pectoral nerve innervate?

Pectoralis major Pectoralis minor

What innervates the pectoralis minor?

Medial pectoral nerve

Brachial Plexus Flashcards

(95 cards)