title: Incidence of accessory phrenic nerve and its clinical significance: a cadaveric study.
abstract: The description of accessory phrenic nerve (APN) in the standard textbooks and available literature is vague and sometimes limited to few lines. The incidence of APN varies a great deal from 17.6 % to 80.9 % in the available literature. The aim of the present study was to calculate the incidence and variation of APN in Indian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty five adult formalin-fixed cadavers (35 male, 10 female; 90 sides) used for gross anatomy dissection for undergraduates; during the 2 year period 2006-2007 were considered. Findings were recorded at different stages of the dissection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 90 body sides studied, the APN was present in 48 sides (53.3 %). In 17 of the above sides the APN was confined to the cervical region (Cervical type) and in 31 sides the APN entered the thorax (Thoracic type), all anterior to the subclavian vein (SV). In eleven specimens the APN was found bilaterally.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of APN, with its course and relation to the various structures in cervical and thoracic region will help the surgeons while performing internal thoracic artery (ITA) grafting and other radical neck surgery.
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, CBS, Department of Anatomy, Bejai, Mangalore, Karnataka, India. ranjanbhatana@gmail.com
authors.forename: Soubhagya R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Nayak
authors.forename: Ashwin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krishnamurthy
authors.forename: Latha V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Prabhu
authors.forename: Lakshmi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ramanathan
authors.forename: Mangala M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: Bhagath Kumar
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Potu
authors.forename: Srijit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000033:anatomy & histology