Clinical anatomy : official journal of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists & the British Association of Clinical Anatomists
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Review Meta Analysis
Surgical anatomy of the pectoral nerves and the pectoral musculature.
The pectoral nerves (PNs) may be selectively injured through various traumatic mechanisms such as direct trauma, hypertrophic muscle compression, and iatrogenic injuries (breast surgery and axillary node dissection, pectoralis major muscle transfers). The PN may be surgically recovered through nerve transfers. They may also be used as donors to the musculocutaneous, axillary, long thoracic, and spinal accessory nerves and for reinnervation of myocutaneous free flaps. ⋯ In 50%-100% of cases, it may pass, at least with some branches, through the pectoralis minor muscle. The LPN supplies the upper portions of the pectoralis major muscle; the MPN innervates the lower parts of the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor muscle. Among the accessory muscles of the pectoral girdle, the LPN may also innervate the tensor semivaginae articulationis humero-scapularis, pectoralis minimus, sternoclavicularis, axillary arch, sternalis, and infraclavicularis muscles; the MPN may innervate the pectoralis quartus, chondrofascialis, axillary arch, chondroepitrochlearis, and sternalis muscles.