VARIATION IN THE INTERCOSTOBRACHIAL NERVE AND ITS RELATION WITH THE AXILLARY LYMPH NODES

Rohini Arathala, Vishwajit Ravindra Deshmukh, Nagaraj S

ABSTRACT

Variation in the distribution of the Intercostobrachial nerve (ICBN) is not uncommon. Nowadays, ICBN is getting clinically important during the mammary gland surgeries. In the present case report, ICBN is trifurcating to supply the axillary pad of fat, medial and the posterior side of the upper arm. The third intercostal nerve is again bifurcating to supply the posterior axillary fold and a pad of fat. Meticulous dissection was done to preserve the enlarged lymph node to identify the relationship between the branches of the brachial plexus and ICBN. Damage to the ICBN may cause sensory changes in the patient after surgery. Knowledge regarding the variations in the branching pattern of the ICBN is important to classify the axillary lymph nodes during axillary node dissection. Knowing about the variation in the ICBN is clinically important for the axillary surgeons, radiologists and anatomist.

Keywords: Intercostobrachial nerve, Axillary lymph node, Dissection, Surgery.