Brachial Plexus With Two Trunks and Double Axillary Veins: Applied Importance and Clinical Implications

During routine dissection in the Department of Anatomy following important anatomical variations on right side of a 30 years old male cadaver were observed. Brachial plexus comprised of only two trunks, the upper one was formed by union of C5, C6, C7 roots while the lower trunk was formed by union of C8, T1 roots.C5 root of brachial plexus was receiving a communicating branch from phrenic nerve. Double axillary veins were observed in the axillary region. Lesion or injury to upper trunk of brachial plexus in aforesaid case will manifest as wider spectrum of clinical signs with diffuse loss of function entirely different from the classic Erb-Duchenne palsy. This background of anatomical variations can help to minimize damage to important structures in the axilla during axillary dissection.©2006, Firat Universitesi, Tip Fakultesi