Co-existence of Riche-Cannieu communications and Berretinni communications.

ABSTRACT

Median nerve is formed by union of lateral and medial roots arising from the corresponding cords of the brachial plexus. Ulnar nerve arises from the medial cord of brachial plexus itself. Only few communications between the median and ulnar nerve have been reported and described in the available literature. During routine dissection of the upper limb of a male cadaver for teaching undergraduate medical students, a variation was observed in the course of median nerve and ulnar nerve communications in palm. A very rare communication was found in which there is superficial and deep communication between ulnar and median nerve was observed only in one male cadaver (1.25%). This type of communication was not found in any other cadaver so far. This dual ansa formation between branches of ulnar and median nerve by communicating branches at superficial and deep levels in palm is rare to observe in which there is co-existence of Berretini Communications and Riche-Cannieu Communications is found in one hand only.