title: Motor branch of extensor carpi radialis longus: anatomic localization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL) motor nerve coordinates in relation to anatomic surface landmarks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anatomy institute of a school of medicine in Paris, France.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh adult cadaver upper limbs (N=20).
  
  
  METHODS
  Anatomic dissection of upper limbs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three measurements (mm) were taken of the position of the ECRL motor branch: the distance between the lateral epicondyle and the emergence of the ECRL branch along the forearm axis, the branch depth, and the ratio between the distance corresponding to the nerve depth and the intercondylar distance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The radial nerves of 4 men and 6 women (age range 59-80 y) were identified between the brachioradialis and the ECRL and traced proximally to the lateral epicondyle. The injection point was between the lateral epicondyle posteriorly and the wrist extensor group anteriorly. Direction was perpendicular to the axis of the forearm. Mean depth was 35.6 mm (minimal value: 24.0; maximal value: 58.0; SD=9 mm). Ratio between nerve depth and intercondylar distance was .46 (.37; .53±.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ECRL motor nerve branch is easy to reach using specified landmarks. Selective motor nerve block of the ECRL branch should be considered in the clinical assessment to test the capacity of the extensor carpi radialis brevis to extend the wrist alone and to assess the command and overactivity of antagonists before surgery.
authors.affiliation: Service de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation, CHU R. Poincaré, Garches, France. francois.genet@rpc.aphp.fr
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Genet
authors.forename: Katell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Autret
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schnitzler
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lautridou
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bernuz
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Denormandie
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Allieu
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Parratte
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation*; D009407:Nerve Block; D011826:Radial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery