How to Draw the Brachial Plexus

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Educational Purpose This brief, animated PowerPoint presentation guides anatomy students through the process of making a simple drawing of the brachial plexus. This “mnemonic drawing” can help students learn the basic parts of the brachial plexus and serve as a first step in understanding this clinically important nerve network.

Begin with a letter “Y”, an “I” and a “Y”.

Add a “strike” and a “spare” (bowling scorekeeping symbols)

Draw “arches”.

Draw horizontal lines to separate the parts. Roots Trunks Divisions Cords Branches

Roots Trunks Divisions Cords Branches Begin labeling. C5C6C7C8T1 UpperMiddleLower Musculocutaneous AxillaryMedianRadialUlnar Lateral Posterior Medial SLOW

Add details... Branches off the posterior cord spell “ULTRA” AxillaryRadial C5C6C7C8T1 Roots Trunks Divisions Cords Branches UpperMiddleLower Musculocutaneous MedianUlnar Lateral Posterior Medial Upper subscapular Lower subscapular Thoracodorsal SLOW

“3M” comes off the medial cord. AxillaryRadial Roots Trunks Divisions Cords Branches C5C6C7C8T1 Upper MiddleLower Musculocutaneous MedianUlnar Lateral Posterior Medial Upper subscapular Lower subscapular Thoracodorsal Medial pectoral n. Medial cutan. n. of arm Medial cutan. n. forearm SLOW

The lateral pectoral n. comes off the lateral cord. AxillaryRadial Roots Trunks Divisions Cords Branches C5C6C7C8T1 UpperMiddleLower Musculocutaneous MedianUlnar Lateral Posterior Medial Upper subscapular Lower subscapular Thoracodorsal Medial pectoral n. Medial cutan. n. of arm Medial cutan. n. forearm Lateral pectoral n.

There are 4 supraclavicular branches. AxillaryRadial Roots Trunks Divisions Cords Branches C5C6C7C8T1 UpperMiddleLower Musculocutaneous MedianUlnar Lateral Posterior Medial Upper subscapular Lower subscapular Thoracodorsal Medial pectoral n. Medial cutan. n. of arm Medial cutan. n. forearm Lateral pectoral n. Dorsal Scapular n. N. to subclavius Suprascapular n. Long Thoracic n. SLOW

That’s it! The Brachial Plexus AxillaryRadial Roots Trunks Divisions Cords Branches C5C6C7C8T1 UpperMiddleLower Musculocutaneous MedianUlnar Lateral Posterior Medial Upper subscapular Lower subscapular Thoracodorsal Medial pectoral n. Medial cutan. n. of arm Medial cutan. n. forearm Lateral pectoral n. Dorsal Scapular n. N. to subclavius Suprascapular n. Long Thoracic n.

The End