Median Nerve

Description

• General
  • Is one of the five main nerves originating from the brachial plexus.
  • It provides motor and sensory innervation to parts of the forearm and hand.
  • It receives contributions from C5-T1 nerve roots.
• Course
  • It runs lateral to the axillary artery.
  • Descends in the arm between the biceps brachii and triceps brachii muscles.
  • It crosses over the brachial artery, and becomes situated medially Halfway down the arm.
  • It enters the hand via the carpal tunnel, where it terminates by dividing into two branches.

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Functions

• Muscular innervations
  • Pronator teres
  • Flexor carpi radialis
  • Palmaris longus
  • Anterior interosseous branch supplies:
    • Flexor pollicis longus
    • Pronator quadratus
    • Flexor digitorum profundus
  • The recurrent branch innervates the thenar muscles
  • The palmar digital branch innervates the lateral lumbricals muscles.
• Sensory innervations
  • Palmar cutaneous branch innervates the lateral aspect of the palm.
  • Palmar digital cutaneous branch Innervates the palmar surface and fingertips of the lateral three and half digits.

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Clinical Significance

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Median Nerve Injury

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See Also

• Forearm Anatomy
• Hand And Wrist Anatomy

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