ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The authors performed an anatomical study on the path of the musculocutaneous nerve by dissecting 20 shoulders from 10 fresh adult cadavers. METHOD: The distance from the lower edge of the coracoid process to the point of penetration of the most proximal branch of the musculocutaneous nerve in the coracobrachialis muscle was measured and named the base. Starting from the inferomedial edge of the coracoid process, a second measurement was made to the point at which the lateral fascicle of the brachial plexus crossed the subclavius muscle, and was named the height. The third measurement was of the triangular area formed by the two first measurements, and was named the area. RESULTS: The mean base length was 3.42 cm, ranging from 2.38 cm to 4.40 cm. The mean height measurement was 2.74 cm, ranging from 1.03 cm to 3.80 cm. The mean area was 4.92 cm(2), ranging from 1.22 cm(2) to 7.99 cm2. CONCLUSION: These measurements are very important because of the risk of injury to the musculocutaneous nerve in surgical approaches to the shoulder.
ABSTRACT
OBJETIVO: Os autores realizaram o estudo anatômico do trajeto do nervo musculocutâneo pela dissecção de 20 ombros em 10 cadáveres adultos frescos. MÉTODO: Mediu-se a distância da borda inferior do processo coracoide, ao ponto de penetração do ramo mais proximal do nervo musculocutâneo no músculo coracobraquial, denominada base. Partindo da borda inferomedial do processo coracoide, foi medida uma segunda distância até o ponto em que o fascículo lateral do plexo braquial cruza o músculo subclávio, sendo identificada como altura. A terceira mensuração foi da área triangular formada pelas duas primeiras medidas, denominada área. RESULTADOS: Observou-se que a média da base foi de 3,42cm, com variações de 2,38 a 4,30cm. A medida da altura foi em média 2,75cm, variando entre 1,03 a 3,80cm, e a média da área foi de 4,92cm², variando entre 1,22 a 7,99cm². CONCLUSÃO: Estas medidas são de grande importância, devido ao risco de lesão do nervo musculocutâneo nas abordagens cirúrgicas do ombro.
OBJETIVE: The authors performed an anatomic study of the trajectory of the muscle cutaneous nerve, dissecting 20 shoulders in 10 fresh adult corpses. METHOD: The distance was measured from the inferior edge of the coracoid process to the point of penetration of the nearest branch of the cutaneous nerve muscle of the coracobrachialis muscle, called base. Starting at the inferior-medial edge of the coracoid process, a second measurement was made to the point at which the lateral fascicle of the brachial plexus crosses the subclavius muscle, denominated height. The third measurement was of the triangular area formed by the two first measurements, denominated area. RESULTS: The average base length was 3.42 cm, varying from 2.38 cm to 4.40 cm. The height measurement was 2.74 cm, on average, varying between 1.03 cm and 3.80 cm. And the average area was 4.92 cm², varying between 1.22 cm² and 7.99 cm². CONCLUSION: These measurements are very important due to the risk of injury in the cutaneous nerve muscle in surgeries performed on the shoulder.
