Fusion of main trunks of median and musculocutaneous nerves (an anatomic variation).

ABSTRACT

Median nerve (MN) and Musculocutaneous nerve (MCN) around their origin from brachial plexus are known to have many variations. A unilateral variation in the course of MCN in 65 years male cadaver was observed during routine dissections for medical undergraduates. In the present case, MCN was observed to be formed by its normal pattern, as the continuation of lateral cord of brachial plexus. Thereafter instead of piercing coracobrachialis, it fuses for some distance with MN and then separates out to supply all the muscles of anterior compartment of the arm. It then ends as lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm. Such a case of fusion of main trunks of MN and MCN has not been clearly reported in literature. Knowledge of this variation is important owing to its numerous clinical implications.