A case study of musculocutaneous nerve variations

Background: Musculocutaneous nerve variations may become evident clinically or may be encountered during surgery. These are of importance for neurologists, traumatologists and orthopaedicians.Methods: 70 upper limbs from 35 embalmed cadavers were studied during the study period of 2 years during routine dissection in the Department of Anatomy S.M.S. Medical College, Jaipur, India.Results: A branch from musculocutaneous nerve arising at a distance of 6 cm from acromion process of scapula.A branch arising from median nerve at a distance of 14.4 cm from acromion process and joins with the branch of musculocutaneous nerve at around 17.4 cms away from the acromion process. The nerve thus formed by the union of the branches from median and musculocutaneous nerves further goes and joins the Radial nerve just before entering the cubital fossa.Conclusions: While performing shoulder surgery, the palpation of musculocutaneous nerve is of great importance, as it may get injured by the retractors which are placed under the coracoid process during the surgery. Frequent shoulder dislocation, coracoid process grafting and arthroscopy might damage the nerve as well as the muscle. This article might fulfil the gap in the original research work in this field.