title: Prevalence of ulnar-to-median nerve motor fiber anastomosis (Riché-Cannieu communicating branch) in hand: An electrophysiological study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Two main muscles studied in the hand for evaluation of median nerve injuries are opponens pollicis (OP) and abductor pollicis brevis (APB). However, Riché-Cannieu communicating branch (RCCB) may limit the use of these muscles in electrodiagnosis. This condition is confusing in the case of median nerve injuries. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of RCCB.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three consecutive cases of complete median nerve injury were studied. Evoked responses via stimulation of median and ulnar nerves in the wrist and recording with needle in the thenar area were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the patients, 82.6% exhibited RCCB. In 14 (60.8%) cases the OP and in 19(82.6%) cases APB was supplied by the ulnar nerve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RCCB was detected to be 60.8% in OP and 82.6% in APB, so OP is preferable to APB in the study of median nerve.
authors.affiliation: MD, Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Tannaz.ahadi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Tannaz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahadi
authors.affiliation: MD, Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Grezaraissi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Gholam Reza
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Raissi
authors.affiliation: MD, Associate Professor of Hand and Plastic Surgery, Panzdah Khordad Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. dr.masoudyavari@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Masood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yavari
authors.affiliation: MD, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist, Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Lobat.majidi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lobat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Majidi
keywords: Electromyography; Median Nerve; Nerve Injury; Ulnar Nerve; Ulnar-to-Median Nerve Anastomosis