[The innervation of deep muscles of the human forearm extensors]

Abstract

The innervation of four deep muscles of the human forearm extensors (the abductor pollicis longus, the extensor pollicis brevis, the extensor pollicis longus, and the extensor indicis muscles) were investigated in 24 bodies (48 sides) from those used in the 1989 and 1990 student courses in gross anatomy dissection at the Iwate Medical University School of Medicine. The forearm extensor muscles and the deep branch of the radial nerve were dissected intensively in the student courses in gross anatomy and were removed afterwards. The four deep muscles of the human forearm extensors and the nerves innervating the muscles were observed while they were immersed in the water and with use of a stereomicroscope--with the assistance of which they were drawn. In six sides the intramuscular nerve supply was also examined carefully and drawn. The results were as follows. 1. The nerves to the four deep muscles of the forearm extensors arose usually from the deep branch of the radial nerve after emerging the supinator muscle and sending branches to superficial forearm extensors. In some cases a nerve or nerves to the superficial forearm extensors were observed arising from the deep branch of the radial nerve after sending one or more branches to the deep forearm extensor muscles, or from the branches to the deep muscles themselves. However they were split easily from the deep branch of the radial nerve and from the branches to the four deep forearm extensors proximally near to the emerging of the deep branch from the supinator muscle. Therefore, it was considered to be constant that the nerves to the four deep forearm extensors arose from the deep branch of the radial nerve after branching to the superficial forearm extensors. 2. The radial group of the deep forearm extensors (the abductor pollicis longus and the extensor pollicis brevis muscles) was innervated usually by one branch that arose from the deep branch of the radial nerve just after emerging from the supinator and giving off branches to the superficial forearm extensors. This branch ran on the dorsal (extensor) surface of the abductor pollicis longus muscle distally, sending many twigs to this muscle, and entered into the muscle at various distances from the origin (Figs. 1-6). The abductor pollicis brevis muscle was innervated by some twigs that ran usually inside but occasionally outside of the abductor pollicis longus muscle (Figs. 7-10).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)