Applied anatomy of adult anterior interosseous nerve and its muscular branches

Objective To study the anatomy of adult anterior interosseous nerve and its muscular branches and provide the morphological basis for the surgical treatment of the anterior interosseous nerve syndrome and repair of the median nerve and ulnar nerve.Methods By the method of the anatomical dissection,the location of the anterior interosseous nerve and its muscular branches in the forearm from 30 upper extremities of adult cadavers were observed with visual inspection especially while its basic anatomical data such as length and diameter were measured.Results The anterior interosseous nerve arose from the median nerve(45.7±10.5)mm and gave off the muscular branches(79.06±7.49)mm below the line between the medial and lateral epicondyles of humerus.It was located in 13.2%-32.8% of the forearm.The number of the branches to the flexor pollicis longus(FPL,93.3%) and pronator quadrates(PQ,100%) was 1,the number of the branches to the flexor digitorum profundus(FDP,86.7%) was 4.The muscular branches of the anterior interosseous nerve were mainly located in 27.6%-88.1% of the forearm.The branches to FPL was located in 27.6%-48.3%;the branches to FDP was located in 32.8%-49.9%;the branches to PQ was located in 41.3%-88.1%.Conclusion This study may provide the anatomical basis for the surgical treatment of the anterior interosseous nerve syndrome and repair of the median nerve and ulnar nerve.The relative data and location method provided in this study are helpful to improve the accuracy and security of operation.