title: ANATOMICAL STUDY OF THE MUSCULOCUTANEOUS NERVE IN RELATION TO THE CORACOID PROCESS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors performed an anatomical study on the path of the musculocutaneous nerve by dissecting 20 shoulders from 10 fresh adult cadavers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The distance from the lower edge of the coracoid process to the point of penetration of the most proximal branch of the musculocutaneous nerve in the coracobrachialis muscle was measured and named the base. Starting from the inferomedial edge of the coracoid process, a second measurement was made to the point at which the lateral fascicle of the brachial plexus crossed the subclavius muscle, and was named the height. The third measurement was of the triangular area formed by the two first measurements, and was named the area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean base length was 3.42 cm, ranging from 2.38 cm to 4.40 cm. The mean height measurement was 2.74 cm, ranging from 1.03 cm to 3.80 cm. The mean area was 4.92 cm(2), ranging from 1.22 cm(2) to 7.99 cm2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These measurements are very important because of the risk of injury to the musculocutaneous nerve in surgical approaches to the shoulder.
authors.affiliation: Attending Physician in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Service, Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual, Sao Paulo, SP.
authors.forename: Fabiano
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rebouças
authors.affiliation: Head of the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Service, Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual, Sao Paulo, SP.
authors.forename: Romulo Brasil
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Filho
authors.affiliation: Attending Physician in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Service, Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual, Sao Paulo, SP.
authors.forename: Cantidio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Filardis
authors.affiliation: Former Resident in the Orthopedics and Traumatology Service, Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual, Sao Paulo, SP.
authors.forename: Renato Rodrigues
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Trainee in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Service, Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual, Sao Paulo, SP.
authors.forename: Alessandro Alvarenga
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Cardoso
keywords: Musculocutaneous nerve/anatomy histology; Musculocutaneous nerve/injuries; Shoulder/surgery