Cutaneous palmar branch of median nerve: anatomical variation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23925/1984-4840.2018v20i4a10Keywords:
median nerve, palmar plate, anatomic variation, wrist, cadaverAbstract
The anatomy of the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve (PCBMN) and its clinical implications have been described by various authors. Most of them report the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel release surgery. However, few reports in the literature discuss the anatomical variations of this nerve which may represent a risk during palmar access to the approach of distal radius fractures, access to scaphoid and surgical tendon graft involving the carpal radial and long palmar flexor tendons. We reported a rare anatomical variation, in which we identified the duplication of the PCBMN, since we recorded only one case in the literature associating doubling the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve with a proximal branch originating from more than 17 cm above the palmar crease of the wrist. These variations endanger the PCBMN during surgical access to the distal forearm, and the proximal region of the palm. We did not identify any position of the two branches from the ulnar side of the tendon of the flexor carpi radialis muscle.
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