Long thoracic nerve

The long thoracic nerve ( " long thoracic nerve" ) is a nerve of the Armnervengeflechts ( brachial plexus ). The nerve is fed in humans from the outgoing from the neck part of the spinal cord nerve roots C5 to C7. He is a pure motor nerve without sensory functions of the serratus anterior muscle ( musculus serratus ventralis in animals as indicated ) supplies. This muscle attached in mammals the arm or the front leg to the chest.

The nerve can be damaged, for example by carrying loads ( backpack ), by a blow to the shoulder, through hard work (eg work with a heavy hammer ), but also as a result of extensive operations in the axilla (eg. lymphadenectomy ). Further, it may be also affected in diseases of the Armnervengeflechts, both inflammatory as well as traumatic cause.

Result of damage to the nerve is a protrusion of the scapula from the chest ( scapula alata ). This is particularly evident when attempting to perform a pushup, or the post- front - raising arm. The serratus anterior muscle pulls the scapula downward. Therefore, the range of motion of the arm in the shoulder joint is severely restricted in damage to the long thoracic nerve. The arm can not be raised above the horizontal.

• Peripheral Nervous System