Nerves of the Shoulder and Arm Region
Nerve: Anterior interosseous
Origin: Median nerve in distal cubital fossa
Course: Inferiorly on interosseous membrane
Innervation: Flexor digitorum profundus, flexor pollicis longus, pronator quadrates
Nerve: Axillary
Origin: Terminal branch of posterior cord of brachial plexus
Course: Posterior aspect of arm with posterior circumflex humeral artery; winds around surgical neck of humerus; gives rise to brachial cutaneous nerve
Innervation: Teres minor and deltoid; shoulder joint and skin over inferior part of deltoid
Nerve: Deep branch of radial nerve
Origin: Radial nerve distal to elbow
Course: Neck of radius in supinator; posterior compartment of forearm, becomes posterior interosseous nerve
Innervation: Extensor carpi radialis brevis and supinator
Nerve: Deep branch of ulnar nerve
Origin: Ulnar nerve at wrist, passes between pisiform and hamate
Course: Deep between muscles of hypothenar eminence, across palm with deep palmar arch
Innervation: Hypothenar muscles, lumbricals of digits 4 and 5, all interossei, adductor pollicis and deep head of flexor pollicis brevis
Nerve: Lateral cutaneous never of forearm
Origin: Musculocutaneous nerve
Course: Descends along lateral border of forearm to wrist
Innervation: Skin of lateral aspect of forearm
Nerve: Lower subscapular
Origin: Posterior cord of brachial plexus
Course: Passes inferolaterally to subscapular artery and vein, to subscapularis and teres major
Innervation: Inferior portion of subscapularis and teres major
Nerve: Medial cutaneous nerve of arm
Origin: Medial cord of brachial plexus
Course: Runs along medial side of axillary view; communicates with intercostobrachial nerve
Innervation: Skin on medial side of arm
Nerve: Medial cutaneous nerve of forearm
Origin: Medial cord of brachial plexus
Course: Runs between axillary artery and vein
Innervation: Skin over medial side of forearm
Nerve: Musculocutaneous
Origin: Lateral cord of brachial plexus
Course: Deep surface of coracobrachialis, descends between biceps brachii and brachialis
Innervation: Flexor muscles of arm; lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve
Nerve: Palmar cutaneous branch of ulnar nerve
Origin: Arises from ulnar nerve near middle of forearm
Course: Ulnar artery, perforates deep fascia in the distal third of forearm
Innervation: Skin at base of medial palm, overlying medial carpals
Nerve: Posterior cutaneous nerve of forearm
Origin: Arises in arm from radial nerve
Course: Perforates lateral head of triceps, descends along lateral side of arm and posterior aspect of forearm to wrist
Innervation: Skin of distal posterior arm, posterior aspect of forearm
Nerve: Posterior interosseous
Origin: Terminal branch of deep branch of radial nerve
Course: Between superficial and deep layers of posterior forearm; between extensor pollicis longus and interosseous membrane
Innervation: Extensor carpi ulnaris, extensors of digits, abductor pollicis longus
Nerve: Radial
Origin: Terminal branch of posterior cord of brachial plexus
Course: Descends posterior to axillary artery; radial groove with deep brachial artery; passes between long and medial head of triceps; bifurcates in cubital fossa into superficial and deep radial nerve
Innervation: Triceps brachii, anconeus, brachioradialis, extensor carpi radialis longus muscles; skin on posterior aspect of arm and forearm via posterior cutaneous nerve of arm and forearm
Nerve: Superficial branch of ulnar nerve
Origin: Arises from ulnar nerve at wrist, passes between pisiform and hamate bones
Course: Palmaris brevis, divides into two common palmar digital nerve
Innervation: Palmaris brevis; skin of the palmar and distal dorsal aspects of digit 5 and medial side of digit 4, proximal portion of palm
Nerve: Ulnar
Origin: Terminal branch of medial cord of brachial plexus
Course: Runs down medial aspect of arm; does not branch in the brachium
Innervation: Majority of intrinsic muscles of hand; deep head of flexor pollicis brevis; medial lumbricales for digits 4 and 5; skin of palmar and distal dorsal aspects of medial 1-1/2 digits and adjacent palm
Origin: Median nerve in distal cubital fossa
Course: Inferiorly on interosseous membrane
Innervation: Flexor digitorum profundus, flexor pollicis longus, pronator quadrates
Nerve: Axillary
Origin: Terminal branch of posterior cord of brachial plexus
Course: Posterior aspect of arm with posterior circumflex humeral artery; winds around surgical neck of humerus; gives rise to brachial cutaneous nerve
Innervation: Teres minor and deltoid; shoulder joint and skin over inferior part of deltoid
Nerve: Deep branch of radial nerve
Origin: Radial nerve distal to elbow
Course: Neck of radius in supinator; posterior compartment of forearm, becomes posterior interosseous nerve
Innervation: Extensor carpi radialis brevis and supinator
Nerve: Deep branch of ulnar nerve
Origin: Ulnar nerve at wrist, passes between pisiform and hamate
Course: Deep between muscles of hypothenar eminence, across palm with deep palmar arch
Innervation: Hypothenar muscles, lumbricals of digits 4 and 5, all interossei, adductor pollicis and deep head of flexor pollicis brevis
Nerve: Lateral cutaneous never of forearm
Origin: Musculocutaneous nerve
Course: Descends along lateral border of forearm to wrist
Innervation: Skin of lateral aspect of forearm
Nerve: Lower subscapular
Origin: Posterior cord of brachial plexus
Course: Passes inferolaterally to subscapular artery and vein, to subscapularis and teres major
Innervation: Inferior portion of subscapularis and teres major
Nerve: Medial cutaneous nerve of arm
Origin: Medial cord of brachial plexus
Course: Runs along medial side of axillary view; communicates with intercostobrachial nerve
Innervation: Skin on medial side of arm
Nerve: Medial cutaneous nerve of forearm
Origin: Medial cord of brachial plexus
Course: Runs between axillary artery and vein
Innervation: Skin over medial side of forearm
Nerve: Musculocutaneous
Origin: Lateral cord of brachial plexus
Course: Deep surface of coracobrachialis, descends between biceps brachii and brachialis
Innervation: Flexor muscles of arm; lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve
Nerve: Palmar cutaneous branch of ulnar nerve
Origin: Arises from ulnar nerve near middle of forearm
Course: Ulnar artery, perforates deep fascia in the distal third of forearm
Innervation: Skin at base of medial palm, overlying medial carpals
Nerve: Posterior cutaneous nerve of forearm
Origin: Arises in arm from radial nerve
Course: Perforates lateral head of triceps, descends along lateral side of arm and posterior aspect of forearm to wrist
Innervation: Skin of distal posterior arm, posterior aspect of forearm
Nerve: Posterior interosseous
Origin: Terminal branch of deep branch of radial nerve
Course: Between superficial and deep layers of posterior forearm; between extensor pollicis longus and interosseous membrane
Innervation: Extensor carpi ulnaris, extensors of digits, abductor pollicis longus
Nerve: Radial
Origin: Terminal branch of posterior cord of brachial plexus
Course: Descends posterior to axillary artery; radial groove with deep brachial artery; passes between long and medial head of triceps; bifurcates in cubital fossa into superficial and deep radial nerve
Innervation: Triceps brachii, anconeus, brachioradialis, extensor carpi radialis longus muscles; skin on posterior aspect of arm and forearm via posterior cutaneous nerve of arm and forearm
Nerve: Superficial branch of ulnar nerve
Origin: Arises from ulnar nerve at wrist, passes between pisiform and hamate bones
Course: Palmaris brevis, divides into two common palmar digital nerve
Innervation: Palmaris brevis; skin of the palmar and distal dorsal aspects of digit 5 and medial side of digit 4, proximal portion of palm
Nerve: Ulnar
Origin: Terminal branch of medial cord of brachial plexus
Course: Runs down medial aspect of arm; does not branch in the brachium
Innervation: Majority of intrinsic muscles of hand; deep head of flexor pollicis brevis; medial lumbricales for digits 4 and 5; skin of palmar and distal dorsal aspects of medial 1-1/2 digits and adjacent palm
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