Observation and measurements of long thoracic nerve: a cadaver study and clinical consideration.
Long thoracic nerve (LTN) is an important nerve originating from cervical nerve roots. It varies a lot in origins and branches, which lead to several clinical problems, such as diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment of LTN injury. LTN was dissected in 38 cadavers in the present study. Origin, level of union, branches, sites where nerve entered the muscle, length of nerve trunk and branches as well as transverse diameter were documented. Different derivations of LTN were observed, and C4-7, C5-7, C5 and C7, C5-7, C5-8, C6 and C7, and branch from C6 was the most important components of LTN. After evolution, LTN trunk was composed by superior and inferior trunks at scalenus muscle or the three superior slips level. Branches of LTN traveled on the surface of the six superior slips of anterior serratus muscle and then penetrated through the inferior slips without correlation between different branches. Mean length of trunk of LTN is 111.73 (30.08) mm, axis of cross section was 2.27x0.96 mm at the union level and 1.91 x 0.68 mm at the end branch. Each slip was innervated by 1-4 branches of LTN. The observation and measurement data described in our study presented some variations and could provide clinicians with important information on diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment of LTN injury and pursuing more suitable muscle flaps for reconstruction operation.
Wang
Jia-feng
JF
Department of Anatomy, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Dang
Rui-shan
RS
Wang
Dong
D
Zhang
Zhi-ying
ZY
Liu
Zhen
Z
Huang
Hui-long
HL
Wu
Ai-qun
AQ
Zhang
Chuan-sen
CS
Chen
Er-yu
EY
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001837:Body Weights and Measures / Q000379:methods*; D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013900:Thoracic Nerves / Q000033:anatomy & histology*