title: COMPARATIVE ANATOMICAL STUDY BETWEEN THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES OF THE AXILLARY NERVE IN RELATION TO DELTOPECTORAL APPROACH AND ACROMION.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish anatomical parameters for the axillary nerve by measuring the distances to the acromion and the deltopectoral access, and to ascertain whether there are any differences in comparative measurements between the left and right sides.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anatomical study on the path of the axillary nerve was conducted by dissecting 30 shoulders of 20 fresh adult cadavers. For comparative study, bilateral dissection was performed on 10 cadavers. Digital caliper gauges, accurate to the nearest 0.05 cm, were used to measure the distances between the lateral extremity of the acromion and the anterior and posterior branches of the axillary nerve, and between the deltopectoral space and the anterior branch of the axillary nerve.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The shortest distance between the acromion and the axillary nerve was 5.47 cm, and the greatest distance was 7.06 cm. The shortest distance between the deltopectoral groove and the axillary nerve was 3.94 cm. A statistically significant difference was found using Wilcoxon's test in comparative measurements between the left and right sides for the distances between the posterior branch of the axillary nerve and the midpoint of the lateral border of the acromion (A-E), and between the anterior branch of the axillary nerve and the anterior extremity of the acromion (B-C), both of which were larger on the right side.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The axillary nerve was situated between 5.47 and 7.06 cm distally to the acromion, and 3.94 cm laterally to the deltopectoral space. There was a statistically significant difference in the comparison between the left and right sides, and both measurements were larger on the right side.
authors.affiliation: Attending Physicians in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Service of the State of São Paulo Public Servants' Hospital (HSPE), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antonio Carlos Tenor
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Junior
authors.affiliation: Attending Physicians in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Service of the State of São Paulo Public Servants' Hospital (HSPE), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiano Rebouças
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Attending Physicians in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Service of the State of São Paulo Public Servants' Hospital (HSPE), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rômulo Brasil
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Filho
authors.affiliation: Head of the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Service of the State of São Paulo Public Servants' Hospital (HSPE), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cantídio Salvador Filardi
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Filho
authors.affiliation: Trainee Physician in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Service of the State of São Paulo Public Servants' Hospital (HSPE), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hilton Vargas
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Lutfi
authors.affiliation: Attending Physicians in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Service of the State of São Paulo Public Servants' Hospital (HSPE), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo Angoti
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Magri
keywords: Brachial Plexus; Cadaver; Measures; Shoulder