Innervation of the Elbow Joint: A Cadaveric Study

Purpose To describe elbow innervation patterns in 15 cadaveric extremities. Methods Fifteen fresh-frozen cadaveric upper extremities were dissected under loupe magnification. The median, radial, musculocutaneous, and ulnar nerves were dissected at the elbow joint and explored both proximally and distally to find capsular branches and identifiable anatomical patterns. Results In 11 of specimens, the ulnar nerve innervated the articular surface of the elbow joint with an average 1.5 branches. The radial nerve gave off a branch to the posterolateral capsule in 10 cases of the specimens, originating 11 ± 3 cm above the lateral epicondyle. After piercing the lateral intermuscular septum, this radial nerve branch innervated the anterolateral capsule in 12 cases (80%). The median nerve sent branches to the joint in 1 specimen. The musculocutaneous nerve innervated the anterior capsule with 1 or 2 branches in 10 of 13 specimens. Conclusions The majority of the innervation of the anterior capsule comes from the radial and musculocutaneous nerves with minimal contribution from the median nerve. The ulnar and radial nerves innervate the posteromedial and posterolateral capsule, respectively. Clinical relevance Accurate understanding of peripheral nerve anatomy is essential for future elbow denervation studies.