In the brachial plexus, branches are given from the Roots, Upper trunk, Lateral cord, Medial cord and the Posterior cord. Overwhelmed already? Don’t worry, this popular mnemonic will help you remember the Branches quite easily.
Branches from the Roots:
- Dorsal Scapular Nerve (C5)
- Long Thoracic nerve of Bell/ Nerve to Serratus anterior (C5 C6 C7)- (This nerve is obviously long because it comes all the way from the root)
Branches from Upper trunk: (all have root value C5 C6)
- Suprascapular nerve (C5 C6)
- Nerve to Subclavius (C5 C6)
Branches from Lateral cord: (LML) (all have root value C5 C6 C7)
- Lateral Pectoral nerve (C5 C6 C7)
- Musculocutaneous nerve (C5 C6 C7)
- Lateral root of Median nerve (C5 C6 C7)
Branches from Medial cord: (M4U)
All have root values (C8 T1), except Ulnar nerve which receives additional fibres from C7 i.e. from the Lateral root of median nerve.
- Medial Pectoral nerve (C8 T1)
- Medial root of Median nerve (C8 T1)
- Medial cutaneous nerve of arm (C8 T1)
- Medial cutaneous nerve of forearm (C8 T1)
- Ulnar nerve (C7 C8 T1)
Branches from Posterior cord:(STARS)
- Upper Subscapular nerve (C5 C6)
- Thoracodorsal nerve (C6 C7 C8)
- Axillary nerve (C5 C6)
- Radial nerve (C5-T1) –Radial nerve is the largest branch of the Brachial plexus. It receives fibres from all the roots of the brachial plexus.
- Lower Subscapular nerve (C5 C6)
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