Contribution of musculocutaneous nerve in the formation of median nerve

Abstract

The median nerve is formed by the union of the lateral and medial roots of median nerve. The musculocutaneous nerve is the terminal branch of the lateral cord of the brachial plexus. There are documented variations in the origins, courses and distributions of these nerves. On routine dissection of an embalmed adult Nigerian male cadaver, the musculocutaneous nerve of the left side was observed to give a contribution/communication in the formation of median nerve after both roots of median nerve have united. The right side of the brachial plexus was examined and the course and distribution of the musculocutaneous and median nerves were found to be without any communication. Variations in the origins and distributions of the brachial plexus had been documented by previous researchers. The communications between median and musculocutaneous nerves were noted to occur in different types and patterns with respect to coracobrachialis muscle. There are known variations in the formation of median nerve. Knowledge of these variations is important to the anatomist, surgeon, neurologist and anaesthetist as injury proximal to the point of communication may give rise to variable clinical presentations and manifestations.