Branching Pattern of the Posterior
Cord of the Brachial Plexus:
A Cadaveric Study
787-790
Correspondence
Dr. Priti Chaudhary, M.S. Anatomy
Associate professor, Department of Anatomy
G.G. S. Medical College, Faridkot
pritiarorafdk@rediffmail.com;
Phone: 9855952965
Fax: 01639251070
Anatomical variations in different parts of the brachial plexus have been described in humans by many authors, although these have not been extensively catalogued. These variations are of clinical significance for the surgeons, radiologists and the anatomists. In a study of 60 brachial plexuses which belonged to 30 cadavers (male:female ratio = 28:02 ) obtained from the Department of Anatomy, Govt. Medical College, Amritsar, the brachial plexuses were exposed as per the standard guidelines. The formation and the branching pattern of the posterior cord have been reported here. The upper subscapular, lower subscapular, thoracodorsal and the axillary nerves usually arise from the posterior cord of the brachial plexus. This normal branching pattern of the posterior cord was encountered in 52 (86.67%) limbs, the remaining 8 (13.33%) being variants in one form or the other. The upper subscapular nerve, the thoracodorsal nerve and the axillary nerve were seen to arise normally in 91.66%, 96.66% and 98.33% of the limbs respectively. The posterior division of the upper trunk being the parent of the variants of all these. The lower subscapular nerve had a normal origin in 96.66% of the limbs, with the axillary nerve being the parent in its variants, while the radial nerve had a normal origin in all of the limbs. Almost all the branches of the posterior cord emanated distally on the left side as compared to the right side. The present study on adult human cadavers was an essential prerequisite for the initial built up of the data base at the grass root level.