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. 2022 May 2;37(2):e370206.
doi: 10.1590/acb370206. eCollection 2022.

Anatomorphometry of the brachial plexus under high-definition system: an experimental study in rats

Rui Sergio Monteiro de Barros  1 , Deivid Ramos Dos Santos  2 , Renan Kleber Costa Teixeira  3 , Nayara Pontes de Araújo  4 , Danusa Neves Somensi  5 , Atylla de Andrade Candido  6
Affiliations

Anatomorphometry of the brachial plexus under high-definition system: an experimental study in rats

Rui Sergio Monteiro de Barros et al. Acta Cir Bras. .

Abstract

Purpose: To study the anatomorphometry of the plexus brachialis (PB) of rats under a high-definition video system.

Methods: Ten male Wistar rats discarded from other research that did not interfere in the morphology of the animal, respecting the principle of reduction, were used. All animals were submitted to the same protocol. Initially, the cervical region was shaved. The animals were placed in a dorsal position. A single elbow-to-elbow incision was performed and dissection started at the deltopectoral sulcus. The procedures were performed under a video system. To measure the structures, the Image J software was used.

Results: All the PB evaluated originated from the C5-T1 spinal nerves. C5 and C6 converged to form the truncus superior, the root of C7 originated the truncus medius, and the confluence of C8 and T1 originated the truncus inferior. It was found the union of C7, C8, and T1 to form truncus inferomedialis instead of separate medial and inferior truncus. C8 (1.31 mm) was the thickest root, the truncus inferior (1.80 mm) and the nerve radialis (1.02 mm), were the thickest.

Conclusions: The anatomy of the PB is comparable to humans, admitting variations. The videomagnification system is useful to perform microsurgical dissection.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: Nothing to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. A common formation of plexus brachialis in rat. C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1: ventral roots of the PB; TS: truncus superior; TI: truncus inferior; TM: truncus medius; AD: anterior division; PD: posterior division; LF: lateral fascicle; MF: medial fascicle; PF: posterior fascicle; Green set-point: common origin of the subclavius, suprascapularis, and superior subscapulares nerve, from the TS; Blue set-point: lateral pectoral nerve origin point from the ADTS; Yellow set-point: the common origin of medial pectoral and nervus thoracodorsalis, from the MF.
Figure 2
Figure 2. A variation of the truncus inferio-medialis of right PB in the rat. C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1: ventral roots of the PB, TS: truncus superior; TIM: truncus inferio-medialis. AD: anterior division; PD: posterior division.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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