<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The median nerve is a mixed sensory and motor nerve that innervates part of the flexor muscles in the anterior compartment of the forearm and muscles in the lateral part of the hand; palmar cutaneous and digital cutaneous nerves branch from the median nerve, which provides sensory innervation to the skin on the radial side of the palm. Also, the median nerve is an object of interest because neuropathy of the median nerve at the level of the carpal tunnel is the most common entrapment neuropathy which increases dramatically in patients with diabetes. Neuromuscular ultrasound provides extensive diagnostic information and has proved itself as a useful complementary test to electrodiagnostic examinations in cases involving median nerve neuropathy. It often happens that the cause of nerve entrapment and neuropathy are variants of several anatomical structures along the course of the median nerve. It is important to be aware and report such anatomical variations of the median nerve in order to avoid damaging the nerve during surgical treatment. Despite the frequently documented abnormalities in the pathway of the brachial plexus and the median nerve, the anatomical variations are unusual to see and are rarely reported. Moreover, there are variations that do not fit under any of the classifications described in the literature.</p>
</abstract>

The median nerve is a mixed sensory and motor nerve that innervates part of the flexor muscles in the anterior compartment of the forearm and muscles in the lateral part of the hand; palmar cutaneous and digital cutaneous nerves branch from the median nerve, which provides sensory innervation to the skin on the radial side of the palm. Also, the median nerve is an object of interest because neuropathy of the median nerve at the level of the carpal tunnel is the most common entrapment neuropathy which increases dramatically in patients with diabetes. Neuromuscular ultrasound provides extensive diagnostic information and has proved itself as a useful complementary test to electrodiagnostic examinations in cases involving median nerve neuropathy. It often happens that the cause of nerve entrapment and neuropathy are variants of several anatomical structures along the course of the median nerve. It is important to be aware and report such anatomical variations of the median nerve in order to avoid damaging the nerve during surgical treatment. Despite the frequently documented abnormalities in the pathway of the brachial plexus and the median nerve, the anatomical variations are unusual to see and are rarely reported. Moreover, there are variations that do not fit under any of the classifications described in the literature.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of the median nerve: normal and variant anatomy and appearance

Journal of Ultrasonography

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The median nerve is a mixed sensory and motor nerve that innervates part of the flexor muscles in the anterior compartment of the forearm and muscles in the...

Ultrasonographic evaluation of the median nerve: normal and variant anatomy and appearance

Article Category: research-article

Published Online: Dec 15, 2021

Page range: 318 - 325

Received: May 25, 2021

Accepted: Jun 22, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15557/jou.2021.0053

Keywords
median nerve, musculoskeletal ultrasound, normal and variant anatomy

© 2021 Polish Ultrasound Society. Published by Medical Communications Sp. z o.o.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of the median nerve: normal and variant anatomy and appearance

Article Category: research-article

Published Online: Dec 15, 2021

Page range: 318 - 325

Received: May 25, 2021

Accepted: Jun 22, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15557/jou.2021.0053

Keywordsmedian nerve, musculoskeletal ultrasound, normal and variant anatomy

© 2021 Polish Ultrasound Society. Published by Medical Communications Sp. z o.o.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
median nerve, musculoskeletal ultrasound, normal and variant anatomy