Abstract
The aim of this study was to demonstrate anatomic variations of the superficial branch of the radial nerve (SBRN) and to discuss the importance of this branch for surgical approaches. Upper extremities of 24 cadavers without any known history of disease or trauma were examined. the SBRN became subcutaneous at a mean of 9.20 cm and bifurcated at a mean of 4.90 cm proximal to the styloid process of the radius in 48 specimens. At the level of the extensor retinaculum, the mean distance of the closest branch to the first dorsal compartment was 0.54 cm, while its mean distance to the dorsal tubercle (Lister’s tubercle) was 1.58 cm. The relations of the three branches of the SBRN (SR1, SR2, SR3) to the anatomic snuffbox and lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LABCN) were also examined. It was demonstrated that on eight wrists, SR2 went through the snuffbox (16.67%). On ten specimens, SR3 had connections with LABCN (20.83%). In four specimens, the SBRN did not have any bifurcation and was directly divided into SR1, SR2, and SR3. It should be very helpful to know the anatomic characteristics of the SBRN, especially for hand surgeons, to minimize the risk of injury of the SBRN during surgical approaches.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abrams RA, Brown RA, Botte MJ (1992) The superficial branch of the radial nerve: an anatomic study with surgical implications. J Hand Surg [Am] 17:1037–1041
Auerbach DM, Collins ED, Kunkle KI (1994) The radial sensory nerve. Clin Orthop Rel Res 308:241–249
Backhouse KM (1981) Nerve supply in the arm and hand. In: Tubiana R (ed) The hand, vol 1, Saunders, Toronto, p 287
Berger, Beckenbaugh, Linscheid (1999) Arthroplasty in the hand and wrist. In: Green DP, Hotchkiss RT, Pederson WC (eds) Green’s operative hand surgery, vol 1, 4th edn, chap 7. Churchill Livingstone, Philadelphia, p 167
Cousins MJ (1998) Neural blockade in clinical anesthesia and management of pain, 3rd edn. Lippincott-Raven, Bridenbough, pp 366–367
Moore DC (1978) Regional block, 4th edn. Thomas, Philadelphia, pp 261–263
Ehrlich W (1986) Cheiralgia paresthetica (entrapment of the radial sensory nerve). J Hand Surg [Am] 11:196–199
Erikson E (1979) Handbook in local anaesthesia, 2nd edn. Lloyd-Luke, London, p 92
Fukumoto K, Kojima T, Kinoshita Y, Koda M (1993) An anatomic study of the innervation of the wrist joint and Wilhelm’s technique for denervation. J Hand Surg [Am] 18:484–489
Hassan DM (1999) Safety of the limited open technique of bone-transfixing threaded-pin placement for external fixation of distal radial fractures: a cadaver study. J Canad Chir 42:363–366
Kozin SH, Wood MB (1993) Early soft-tissue complications after fractures of the distal part of the radius. J Bone Joint Surg Am 75:144–153
McKinnon SE (1985) The overlap pattern of the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve and the superficial branch of the radial nerve. J Hand Surg [Am] 10:522–526
Mulroy MF (1996) Regional anesthesia, 2nd edn. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data, Philadelphia, pp 190–195
Moore KL, Dalley AF (1999) Clinically oriented anatomy, 4th edn. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Toronto, pp 748–749, 780
Omokawa S, Jaiyoung RYU, Tang JB, Han J (1997) Vascular and neural anatomy of the thenar area of the hand: its surgical applications. Plast Reconstr Surg 99:116–121
Poehling GG, Ruch DS (1999) Anesthesia. In: Green DP, Hotchkiss RT, Pederson WC (eds) Green’s operative hand surgery, vol 1, 4th edn, chap 2. Churchill Livingstone, Philadelphia, p 35
Ramamurthy, Hickey (1999) Wrist arthroscopy: anatomy and diagnosis. In: Green DP, Hotchkiss RT, Pederson WC (eds) Green’s operative hand surgery, vol 1, 4th edn, chap 8. Churchill Livingstone, Philadelphia, pp 192–195
Sanders RA, Keppel FL, Waldro JI (1991) External fixation of distal radial fractures: results and complications. J Hand Surg [Am] 16:385–391
Spinner M (1978) Injuries to the major branches of peripheral nerves of the forearm, 2nd edn. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 137–138
Steinberg BD, Plancher KD, Idler RS (1995) Percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation through the snuffbox: an anatomic study. J Hand Surg [Am] 20:57–62
Williams PL, Bannister LH, Berry MM, Collins P, Dyson M, Dussek JE, Ferguson MWJ (1995) Gray’s anatomy, 38th edn. Churchill Livingstone, New York, pp 1270–1274
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ikiz, Z.A.A., Üçerler, H. Anatomic characteristics and clinical importance of the superficial branch of the radial nerve. Surg Radiol Anat 26, 453–458 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-004-0256-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-004-0256-9