title: Shoulder position influences the location of the musculocutaneous nerve in the axillary fossa.
abstract: In the axillary fossa, the musculocutaneous nerve (MC) is generally distant from the axillary artery and from the other brachial plexus nerves. In that way, MC requires a specific block. We observed that the location of MC is influenced by the position of the patient's arm and shoulder. Abduction of the shoulder significantly reduced the distance between the MC and the axillary artery. This change in the location of the MC is probably due to the moving of the nerve because of muscle rearrangements and the ability to achieve better proximity of the probe in the axillary fossae.
authors.affiliation: Claude Galien Private Hospital, Quincy-Sous-Sénart 91480, France. Electronic address: agsb@mac.com.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bloc
authors.affiliation: Claude Galien Private Hospital, Quincy-Sous-Sénart 91480, France.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mercadal
authors.affiliation: Claude Galien Private Hospital, Quincy-Sous-Sénart 91480, France.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Garnier
authors.affiliation: Claude Galien Private Hospital, Quincy-Sous-Sénart 91480, France.
authors.forename: Davy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.affiliation: Claude Galien Private Hospital, Quincy-Sous-Sénart 91480, France.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Komly
authors.affiliation: Claude Galien Private Hospital, Quincy-Sous-Sénart 91480, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leclerc
authors.affiliation: Claude Galien Private Hospital, Quincy-Sous-Sénart 91480, France.
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Morel
authors.affiliation: University Hopital of Rennes, Rennes 35000, France.
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ecoffey
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Henri Mondor, Créteil 94000, France.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dhonneur
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm; D001365:Axilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000294:innervation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009138:Musculocutaneous Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods; D056888:Patient Positioning; D012782:Shoulder; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
keywords: Axillary block; Musculocutaneous nerve; Regional anesthesia; Ultrasound guidance