These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Radial nerve location at the posterior aspect of the humerus: an anatomic study of 100 specimens.
    Author: Hackl M, Damerow D, Leschinger T, Scaal M, Müller LP, Wegmann K.
    Journal: Arch Orthop Trauma Surg; 2015 Nov; 135(11):1527-32. PubMed ID: 26254580.
    Abstract:
    PURPOSE: Radial neuropathy represents a devastating complication in a posterior approach to the distal humerus. This study aimed to propose "safe zones" regarding the radial nerve (RN) location at the posterior aspect of the humerus to minimize the risk of iatrogenic injury. METHODS: In 100 embalmed specimens, the distances of the proximal edge of the olecranon fossa (OF) to the radial nerve at the medial edge (R1), at the center (R2) and at the lateral edge (R3) of the posterior aspect of humeral shaft were measured. Humeral length (HL) and transcondylar width (TW) were evaluated and correlated to R1, R2 and R3. RESULTS: R1 was 15.0 (±2.1; 10.6-19.5) cm, R2 averaged 12.7 (±1.6; 8.9-15.7) cm, R3 was 10.6 (±1.3; 7.6-13.7) cm. HL was 30.8 (±1.9) cm. TW averaged 6.3 (±0.6) cm. TW and HL correlate with R1, R2, R3 (r = 0.451-0.565 [95% CI 0.279-0.685]). The mean ratio was 2.3 (±0.18) for HL/R1, 2.6 (±0.23) for HL/R2 and 3.1 (±0.31) for HL/R3. The ratio averaged 2.2 (±0.20) for R1/TW, 1.9 (±0.18) for R2/TW and 1.6 (±0.15) for R3/TW. CONCLUSIONS: We present the OF as an osseous landmark to reduce the risk of iatrogenic radial neuropathy. HL and TW can be reliably used to estimate the RN location. The consistent "safe zones" of the RN in relation to the OF are 10.5 cm at the medial edge, 9 cm at the center and 7.5 cm at the lateral edge of the posterior aspect of the humeral shaft.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]