Suprascapular nerve
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View Chamath Ariyasinghe's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Rohit Sharma had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Rohit Sharma's current disclosures- Suprascapular nerves
The suprascapular nerve is the only branch of the upper trunk (C5 and C6) of the brachial plexus, supplying the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles and sensation to the acromioclavicular and glenohumeral joints.
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Gross anatomy
Origin
The suprascapular nerve arises from the upper trunk of the brachial plexus, which is formed from the anterior rami of the fifth and sixth cervical nerves.
Course
After branching from the brachial plexus, the suprascapular nerve accompanies the suprascapular artery and vein. It courses laterally, deep to the trapezius muscle to the superior margin of the scapula, where it passes through the suprascapular notch inferior to the superior transverse scapular ligament to enter the supraspinous fossa.
In the supraspinous fossa, it gives off two branches to the supraspinatus muscle before passing through the spinoglenoid notch at the lateral border of the scapula spine to pass into the infraspinous fossa, where it provides two terminal branches to the infraspinatus muscle.
Branches and supply
motor muscular branches: supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles
sensory articular branches: acromioclavicular and glenohumeral joints
Relations
The suprascapular artery and vein run above the superior transverse scapular ligament.
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Variant anatomy
6% arising directly from ventral primary ramus of C5 without other roots contribution 3,4
18% having additional fibers from C4 contributing to the nerve 4
Related pathology
References
- 1. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN:1451119453. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Last's Anatomy. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:0702033944. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Standring, Susan, and Henry Gray. 2008. Gray's anatomy: the anatomical basis of clinical practice. [Edinburgh]: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier. http://www.clinicalkey.com/dura/browse/bookChapter/3-s2.0-B9780443066849X5001X
- 4. Chuog Shin, Seo-Eun Lee, Kee-Hyun Yu, Han-Kyo Chae, Kyu-Seok Lee. Spinal root origins and innervations of the suprascapular nerve. (2010) Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy. 32 (3): 235. doi:10.1007/s00276-009-0597-5 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
- Infraspinatus muscle
- Suprascapular notch
- Suprascapular neuropathy
- Superior transverse scapular ligament
- Acromioclavicular joint
- Brachial plexus
- Shoulder
- Parsonage-Turner syndrome
- Spinoglenoid notch
- Supraclavicular brachial plexus block (ultrasound)
- Inferior transverse scapular ligament
- Glenohumeral joint
- Spinoglenoid notch syndrome
- Scapula
- Supraspinatus muscle
- Suprascapular stenosing neuritis
- SLAP lesion type II with paralabral cyst
- Suprascapular nerve entrapment with acute infraspinatous denervation myopathy
- Suprascapular and spinoglenoid large paralabral notch cyst with suprascapular neuropathy
- Suprascapular notch - ultrasound identification
- Suprascapular neuropathy- paralabral cyst
- Spinoglenoid notch ganglion cyst
- Suprascapular neuropathy
- Suprascapular nerve entrapment
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skeleton of the upper limb
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