Martin-Gruber communicating branch: anatomical and histological study.
We dissected 72 upper limbs of fresh cadavers and found 17 cases with a Martin-Gruber communicating branch (23.6%). These were classified into 4 types: type I (n = 5, 29.4%): communicating branch between the anterior interosseous and ulnar nn, type II (n = 3, 17.6%): Communicating branch between the median and ulnar nn., type III (n = 3, 17.6%): Communicating branch between the muscular branches to the flexor digitorum profundus m., type IV (n = 6, 35.3%): combination of type I or II and type III. At histologic examination the number and size of the nerve bundles each communicating branch contained proved to be very different. In one case of type II only a single nerve bundle was found. We suggest that the different numbers of nerve bundles innervate different amounts of the intrinsic hand musculature. The communicating branch with a single nerve bundle probably innervated only the first dorsal interosseous muscle.
Dept. of Orthopedic Traumatology, Tian Jin Hospital, P.R. China.
H S
HS
Shu
C
C
Chantelot
C
C
Oberlin
J Y
JY
Alnot
H
H
Shao
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*