Abstract
The purpose of this imaging study was to investigate whether the musculocutaneous nerve could be visualized ultrasonographically in childhood and to assess how its visualization changes with age. Forty-two children participated in this prospective imaging study. The musculocutaneous nerve was sought both proximally (near the axillary artery) and distally (within the coracobrachialis muscle) by use of an linear ultrasound probe. Location of the musculocutaneous nerve was good (93 %) for all the children, both proximally and distally. For school-aged children, distal visualization of the musculocutaneous nerve reached 100 %. The musculocutaneous nerve is detectable in childhood by use of ultrasonography; success of detection was high for all the age groups examined.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Tsui B, Suresh S. Ultrasound imaging for regional anesthesia in infants, children, and adolescents: a review of current literature and its application in the practice of extremity and trunk blocks. Anaesthesiology. 2010;112:473–92.
Bhalla T, Sawardekar A, Dewhirst E, Jagannathan N, Tobias JD. Ultrasound-guided trunk and core blocks in infants and children. J Anesth. 2013;27:109–23.
Tagliafico AS, Michaud J, Marchetti A, Garello I, Padua L, Martinoli C. US imaging of the musculocutaneous nerve. Skeletal Radiol. 2011;40:609–16.
Osborne AW, Birch RM, Munshi P, Bonney G. The musculocutaneous nerve. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2000;82:1140–2.
Kocabiyik N, Yalcin B, Yazar F, Ozan H. An accessory branch of musculocutaneous nerve joining median nerve. Neuroanatomy. 2005;4:13–5.
Carre P, Joly A, Cluzel FB, Wodey E, Lucas MM, Ecoffey C. Axillary block in children: single or multiple injection? Paediatr Anaesth. 2000;10:35–9.
Lavoie J, Martin R, Tetrault JP, Côté DJ, Colas MJ. Axillary plexus block using a peripheral nerve stimulator: single or multiple injections. Can J Anaesth. 1992;39:583–6.
Rapp H, Grau T. Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia in pediatric patients. Techn Reg Anesth Pain Manag. 2004;8:179–98.
Han JH, Kim YJ, Kim JH, Kim DY, Lee GY, Kim CH. Topographic pattern of the brachial plexus at the axillary fossa through real-time ultrasonography in Koreans. Korean J Anesth. 2014;67:310–6.
Remerand F, Laulan J, Couvret C, Palud M, Baud A, Velut S, Laffon M, Fusciardi J. Is the musculocutaneous nerve really in the coracobrachialis muscle when performing an axillary block?An ultrasound study. Anesth Analg. 2010;110:1729–34.
Schafhalter-Zoppoth I, Gray AT. The musculocutaneous nerve: ultrasound appearance for peripheral nerve block. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2005;30:385–90.
Eng J. Sample size estimation: how many individuals should be studied? Radiology. 2003;227:309–13.
Aydin ME, Kale A, Edizer M, Kopuz C, Demir MT, Corumlu U. Absence of the musculocutaneous nerve together with unusual innervation of the median nerve. Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2006;65:228–31.
Christophe JL, Berthier F, Boillot A, Tatu L, Viennet A, Boichut N, Samain E. Assessment of topographic brachial plexus nerves variations at the axilla using ultrasonography. Br J Anaesth. 2009;103:606–12.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that this work was not supported by any funding program and they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical standards
The authors declare that the study complies with the current laws of their country.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Matsota, P.K., Paraskevopoulos, T.M., Kalimeris, K.A. et al. Ultrasound imaging of the musculocutaneous nerve of infants, preschool children, and school children. J Anesth 29, 790–793 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-015-2010-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-015-2010-3