Feasibility of Medial Pectoral Nerve to Musculocutaneous Nerve Transfer Using Medial Antebrachial Cutaneous Nerve of Forearm Graft: Histopathologic and Anatomical Evaluation

AIM: To evaluate the compatibility of medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve of the forearm (MACN) with medial pectoral (MPN) and musculocutaneous (MCN) nerves for the anastomosis from anatomical and histopathologic aspects. MATERIAL and METHODS: Ten brachial plexus specimens from five cadavers were dissected. The distances of the distal ends of MPN and MACN and proximal ends of MACN and MCN were measured from coracoid. Histopathologic slides from the four mentioned nerve ends were provided. The number of fascicles, cross-section diameter, and area of each nerve ends were measured. RESULTS: The distance of proximal and distal ends of MACN were adjacent to MPN and MCN. The mean number of fascicles (4.5 +/- 1.2 vs. 2.9 +/- 1.0), area (6.0 +/- 2.5 vs. 2.8 +/- 2.4) and diameter (2.7 +/- 0.6 vs. 1.8 +/- 0.7) of the distal end of MACN was significantly more than MCN. The mean number of fascicles (4.4 +/- 1.4 vs. 2.6 +/- 0.5), area (5.6 +/- 2.4 vs. 2.0 +/- 1.0) and diameter (2.6 +/- 0.6 vs. 1.6 +/- 0.4) of the proximal end of MACN was significantly more than MPN. The mentioned parameters were similar between MCN and MPN. CONCLUSION: Our study reveals that MACN is not a proper graft for MCN and MCN anastomosis due to the incompatibility of its diameter, area, and number of fascicles.