Medial pectoral nerve
The medial pectoral nerve (also known as the medial anterior thoracic nerve) arises from the medial cord (sometimes directly from the anterior division of the inferior trunk) of the brachial plexus,[1] and through it from the eighth cervical and first thoracic roots.
Medial pectoral nerve | |
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Nerves of the left upper extremity. (Medial anterior thoracicvisible in upper right.) | |
Details | |
From | medial cord |
Innervates | pectoralis minor, pectoralis major |
Identifiers | |
Latin | nervus pectoralis medialis |
TA98 | A14.2.03.017 |
TA2 | 6444 |
FMA | 65293 |
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy |
It passes behind the first part of the axillary artery, curves forward between the axillary artery and vein, and unites in front of the artery with a filament from the lateral nerve.
It then enters the deep surface of the pectoralis minor muscle, where it divides into a number of branches, which supply the muscle.
Two or three branches pierce the muscle and end in the sternocostal head of the pectoralis major muscle. The medial pectoral nerve pierces both the pectoralis minor and the sternocostal head of the pectoralis major. The lateral pectoral nerve pierces only the clavicular head of the pectoralis major.
Clinical Relevance
The medial pectoral nerve can be used as a donor nerve when reconstructing a damaged brachial plexus,[2] or axillary nerve.[3]
See also
Additional images
- Brachial plexus
- Brachial plexus with courses of spinal nerves shown
References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 933 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
- Baur, Dale A.; Horan, Michael P.; Rodriguez, Juan C. (2012-01-01), Bagheri, Shahrokh C.; Bell, R. Bryan; Khan, Husain Ali (eds.), "Chapter 68 - The Pectoralis Major Myocutaneous Flap", Current Therapy In Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Saint Louis: W.B. Saunders, pp. 566–572, doi:10.1016/b978-1-4160-2527-6.00068-2, ISBN 978-1-4160-2527-6, retrieved 2020-10-19
- Watson, Caroline C. (2015-01-01), Tubbs, R. Shane; Rizk, Elias; Shoja, Mohammadali M.; Loukas, Marios (eds.), "Chapter 39 - Anatomy of the Medial Cord and Its Branches", Nerves and Nerve Injuries, San Diego: Academic Press, pp. 537–545, doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-410390-0.00041-x, ISBN 978-0-12-410390-0, retrieved 2020-10-19
- Moore, Amy M.; Phillips, Benjamin Z.; Mackinnon, Susan E. (2015-01-01), Tubbs, R. Shane; Rizk, Elias; Shoja, Mohammadali M.; Loukas, Marios (eds.), "Chapter 19 - Nerve Transfers to Improve Upper Extremity Function", Nerves and Nerve Injuries, San Diego: Academic Press, pp. 275–306, doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-802653-3.00068-3, ISBN 978-0-12-802653-3, retrieved 2020-10-19
External links
- Anatomy photo:05:st-0511 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center
- EatonHand ner-016
- MedEd at Loyola GrossAnatomy/dissector/practical/ue/ue15.html