A Communicating Branch Between the Musculocutaneous Nerve and the Median Nerve: A Case Report

Abstract

Anatomical variations of peripheral nerves are commonly reported in the literature.  While typically benign, they are of clinical importance as they can contribute to atypical clinical presentations, cause difficulty with imaging and nerve conduction studies, and lead to surgical challenges for surgeons.  We report here a communicating branch between the musculocutaneous nerve and median nerve found during cadaveric dissection in a Doctor of Nursing Practice course in the Department of Nurse Anesthesia at Samford University.  Although the case described here is among the most common anatomical variations of the peripheral nerves, there are classification systems for this variation that need to be recognized and applied by anatomists, clinicians, and surgeons.