Applied anatomy of the medial branch of cervical dorsal rami nerve and its clinical significance

Objective To provide anatomic basis for the diagnosis and treatment of the dorsal rami of cervical nerve.Methods The compression place of the medial branch of cervical dorsal rami nerve were observed and measured on 10 adult's embalmed cadavers(20 sides).Results(1)The compression place of the superficial branch of the medial branch of C2 dorsal rami nerve(the great occipital nerve)were the positions where the nerve passed between the obliguus capitis inferior muscle and lamina of vertebral capitis muscle and passed through the fibrous aperture near the superior aperture near the superior nuchal line.(2)The compression place of the branch of the medial branch of C3-5 dorsal rami nerve were the positions where the nerves passed through the semispinalis neck muscle,the semispinalis capitis muscle,the splenius capitis muscle and the tendious fibers of the trapezius muscle.The compression place of the deep branch of the medial branch of C3 dorsal rami nerve were the position where the nerve passed through the semispinalis capitis muscle.(3)The compression place of the medial branch of the C3-8 dorsal rami nerves were the position where the nerves passed through the osseofibrous canal of cervical dorsal rami nerve.Conclusion The osseofibrous canal of the nuchal muscles passed through by the medial branch of the dorsal rami nerves are the anatomic basis of the dorsal and medial branch of the dorsal rami nerves compression syndrome.