Axillary nerve

Brachial plexus

The brachial plexus innervates the shoulder and the upper limb. It is formed by the ventral rami, or the anterior divisions, of the fifth to eighth cervical nerves (C5-8), along with the ventral ramus of the first thoracic nerve (T1). These five ventral rami are referred to as the five roots. These five roots merge to form three trunks, the superior (C5-6), middle (C7) and inferior (C8-T1).

These three trunks then divide into anterior and posterior divisions to form six divisions in total. These three groups then reform to result in three cords, which are named according to their position with respect to the second part of the axillary artery, which lies posterior to the pectoralis minor muscle.

The posterior cord is formed from the posterior divisions of the three roots (C5-8,T1), the lateral cord is a formation of the anterior division of the superior and middle trunks (C5-7) and the medial cord is a continuation of the inferior trunk (C8, T1). There are five terminal branches of the brachial plexus derived from these cords. One of these terminal branches is the axillary nerve.

Anatomical course

The axillary nerve branches from the posterior cord and descends in the axilla posterior to the axillary artery and anterior to the subscapularis. It emerges from the axilla at the level of the lower border of the subscapularis, by traversing the quadrangular space. This is a space in the posterior scapular region, which is bounded by the superior margin of the teres major inferiorly, the inferior margin of the teres minor superiorly, the lateral margin of the long head of the triceps brachii medially and the surgical neck of the humerus laterally. Here, it supplies a branch to the shoulder joint. The posterior circumflex humeral artery and vein also run posterior to this nerve in this space.

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The axillary nerve then passes medial to the surgical neck of the humerus before dividing into three terminal branches referred to as:

• The anterior branch
• The posterior branch
• The articular branch

The anterior branch winds around the surgical neck of the humerus, posteriorly, with the posterior circumflex humeral vessels and supplies the anterior aspect of the deltoid muscle.

The posterior branch supplies the posterior aspect of the deltoid muscle as well as the teres minor. Following this, it passes around the lower border of the deltoid and is then referred to as the upper lateral cutaneous nerve of the arm. This nerve supplies the posterior skin of the arm and the lateral head of the triceps brachii muscle.

The articular branch supplies the glenohumeral joint.