Thoracic nerve longus

Brachial plexus with long thoracic nerve

The nervus thoracicus longus ("long thoracic nerve ") is a nerve of the arm nerve plexus ( plexus brachialis ). The nerve is in humans from the from the neck portion of the spinal cord outgoing nerve roots fed C5 to C7. In about 8% of the cases, C8 is also involved, in a further 8% of the cases only C5 to C6 are involved. The parts from the 5th and 6th neck segment pass through the musculus scalenus medius , those of the 7th and possibly 8th neck segment between the musculus scalenus medius and the musculus scalenus minimus . After the nerve roots have united, the nerve between the clavicle and the first rib pulls to the side and runs on the serratus anterior muscle (referred to as the serratus ventralis muscle in animals ), which it motor- innervates. In mammals, this muscle attaches the arm or fore limb to the rib cage .

The nerve can be damaged, for example, by carrying loads (backpack), by hitting the shoulder, by hard work (e.g. working with a heavy hammer), but also as a result of extensive operations in the armpit area (e.g. . Lymph node removal) or poorly fitting bandages and unpadded crutches. It can also be affected by diseases of the arm nerve plexus , both inflammatory and traumatic .

The damage to the nerve results in a displacement of the shoulder blade towards the spine and upwards, a rotation of the lower angle inward and a protrusion of the inner edge from the chest ( scapula alata ), which is increased when the arm is raised and spread apart. The range of motion of the arm in the shoulder joint when lifting or spreading is usually not significantly limited, but the extent and strength when the shoulder is shifted forward. This significantly reduces the arm's thrust and impact. This is especially evident when trying to do a push-up.

Individual evidence

↑ Wolfgang Tackmann, Hans-Peter Richter, Manfred Stöhr: Compression syndrome of peripheral nerves . Springer, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-642-71768-0 , pp. 101 .
↑ Wolfgang Tackmann, Hans-Peter Richter, Manfred Stöhr: Compression syndrome of peripheral nerves . Springer, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-642-71768-0 , pp. 103 .
↑ Wolfgang Tackmann, Hans-Peter Richter, Manfred Stöhr: Compression syndrome of peripheral nerves . Springer, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-642-71768-0 , pp. 102-103 .

[1] Wolfgang Tackmann, Hans-Peter Richter, Manfred Stöhr: Compression syndrome of peripheral nerves . Springer, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-642-71768-0 , pp. 101 .

[2] Wolfgang Tackmann, Hans-Peter Richter, Manfred Stöhr: Compression syndrome of peripheral nerves . Springer, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-642-71768-0 , pp. 103 .

[3] Wolfgang Tackmann, Hans-Peter Richter, Manfred Stöhr: Compression syndrome of peripheral nerves . Springer, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-642-71768-0 , pp. 102-103 .