thoracic nerve

The DSN has a known anatomical and functional link to the long thoracic nerve (8,9,21) so EMS of the serratus anterior may be beneficial to DSN neuropathy although this has not previously been shown in the literature (12).

DISCUSSION: The brachial plexus is formed by the union of the anterior primary divisions (ventral rami) of the fifth to the eighth cervical nerves and the first thoracic nerve. Contributions from C4 and T2 are often minor or absent.

Whereas patients being treated with thoracotomy needed special post-op pain management including intra thoracic nerve blocks, opiates and epidurals, such a need seldom arose following VATS, in which case the patients usually suffice with oral pain killers for a short duration.

Long thoracic nerve, suprascapular nerve, sciatic and femoral nerve entrapment neuropathies, tarsal tunnel syndrome, Morton's neuroma, Meralgia paresthetica, and peroneal nerve neuropathy were the least common focal neuropathies (less than 1%) (Table 4).

Congenital brachial palsy is the result of trauma at birth to the brachial plexus resulting in stretching, rupture, or avulsion of some, or all, of the cervical and first thoracic nerve roots.3 Brachial palsy occur usually in large babies.

Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) was first described in the literature in 1967, when it was used by Shealy to treat pain secondary to invasive cancer involving the thoracic nerve roots.

Long thoracic nerve dysfunction leading to weakness or complete paralysis of the serratus anterior muscle is the commonest cause.

The right biceps, triceps, and deltoid muscle motor latencies evaluated by stimulation of Erb's point and right and left long thoracic nerve motor conductions were normal (6).

The thoracodorsal artery and vein are preserved in the vascular pedicle, and the long thoracic nerve is protected for the facial neurorrhaphy.