Contents
What makes up the brachial plexus?
The brachial plexus is formed by the anterior primary rami of C5 through T1 and provides sensory and motor innervation of the upper extremity. The brachial plexus is divided, proximally to distally into rami/roots, trunks, divisions, cords, and terminal branches.
What are the 5 parts of the brachial plexus?
The brachial plexus is divided into five parts; roots, trunks, divisions, cords and branches (a good mnemonic for this is Read That Damn Cadaver Book). There are no functional differences between these divisions – they are simply used to aid explanation of the brachial plexus.
What are the branches of brachial plexus?
Brachial plexus
| Roots | C5, C6, C7, C8, T1 |
|---|---|
| Cords | Lateral Medial Posterior |
| Terminal branches | Musculocutaneous nerve Axillary nerve Radial nerve Median nerve Ulnar nerve |
| Innervation | Complete sensory and motor innervation of the arm |
What are the 6 divisions of the brachial plexus?
The brachial plexus emerges at five different levels: C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1. C5 and C6 merge to establish the upper trunk, C7 continuously forms the middle trunk, and C8 and T1 merge to establish the lower trunk.
What is the function of brachial plexus?
The brachial plexus is a network of nerves in the shoulder that carries movement and sensory signals from the spinal cord to the arms and hands. Brachial plexus injuries typically stem from trauma to the neck, and can cause pain, weakness and numbness in the arm and hand.
Is brachial plexus injury permanent?
Brachial plexus injuries can cause permanent weakness or disability. Even if yours seems minor, you may need medical care.
Where does the brachial plexus pass through?
The brachial plexus passes from the neck to the axilla and supplies the upper limb. It is formed from the ventral rami of the 5th to 8th cervical nerves and the ascending part of the ventral ramus of the 1st thoracic nerve. Branches from the 4th cervical and the 2nd thoracic ventral ramus may contribute.
How do you assess a brachial plexus injury?
To help diagnose the extent and severity of a brachial plexus injury, you may have one or more of the following tests:
- X-ray.
- Electromyography (EMG).
- Nerve conduction studies.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Computerized tomography (CT) myelography.
Can you see brachial plexus on MRI?
Different imaging modalities can be used to study the brachial plexus, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US) 1, however MRI is the imaging modality of choice for the evaluation of the brachial plexus due to its superior soft tissue resolution and multiplanar …
What are the five parts of the brachial plexus?
The Brachial Plexus has important five parts which are: 1 Roots – These refer to the starting point of the Brachial Plexus, formed by the spinal nerves C5,… 2 Trunks – From the base of the neck these roots then the roots of the Brachial Plexus unite… 3 Divisions – The human neck has a posterior triangle shape within which…
Where does the ulnar nerve exit the brachial plexus?
The ulnar nerve: The ulnar nerve emerges from the brachial plexus and travels posterior to the medial epicondyle of the humerus The lateral cord gives rise to the musculocutaneous nerve. The posterior cord gives rise to the radial nerve and the axillary nerve.
Which is part of the spinal cord forms the plexus?
The plexus is formed by the anterior rami (divisions) of cervical spinal nerves C5, C6, C7 and C8, and the first thoracic spinal nerve, T1. In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the brachial plexus – its formation and anatomical course through the body.
Where does the thoracodorsal nerve originate in the brachial plexus?
The thoracodorsal nerve arises from the posterior cord of the brachial plexus and carries the fibers of C7 and C8. This nerve provides motor innervation to the latissimus dorsi muscle xillary nerve