Cutaneous Nerves

Lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm

Which nerve supplies the skin of the anterolateral forearm?

Superior lateral cutaneous nerve of arm

Which nerve supplies the skin over the lower part of the deltoid and lateral midarm?

Inferior lateral cutaneous nerve of arm

Which nerve supplies the skin over the inferolateral aspect of the arm?

Posterior cutaneous nerve of arm

Which nerve supplies the skin over the posterior arm, extending toward the olecranon?

Posterior cutaneous nerve of forearm

Which nerve supplies most of the skin of the posterior forearm?

Supraclavicular nerves

Which cutaneous nerves supply the skin over the clavicle and superolateral pectoral region?

Superficial branch of radial nerve

Which nerve supplies much of the dorsolateral aspect of the hand?

Median nerve

Which nerve supplies the palmar surface of the lateral 3½ digits?

Ulnar nerve

Which nerve supplies the palmar surface of the medial 1½ digits?

Palmar cutaneous branch of median nerve

Which branch supplies sensation to the lateral palm and passes superficial to the flexor retinaculum?

Dorsal cutaneous branch of ulnar nerve

Which branch supplies the dorsal medial 1½ digits and adjacent dorsum of the hand?

Axillary nerve

Which nerve gives rise to the superior lateral cutaneous nerve of arm?

Musculocutaneous nerve

Which major peripheral nerve continues as the lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm?

Radial nerve

Which major nerve gives rise to the posterior cutaneous nerves of the arm and forearm and the superficial radial nerve?

Intercostobrachial nerve

Which nerve supplies skin of the axilla and medial upper arm, especially from T2?

Medial cutaneous nerve of arm

Which nerve supplies the skin of the medial upper arm?

Medial cutaneous nerve of forearm

Which nerve supplies much of the medial forearm skin?

C5–T1

What spinal nerve levels contribute to most cutaneous nerves of the upper limb through the brachial plexus?

C3–C4

What spinal nerve levels contribute to the supraclavicular nerves?

C8–T1

What spinal nerve levels primarily contribute to the ulnar nerve's cutaneous distribution?

Median nerve

A patient cannot feel pinprick on the palmar surfaces of the index and middle fingers. Which nerve is affected?

Ulnar nerve

A patient has numbness of the little finger and medial half of the ring finger. Which nerve is affected?

Superficial branch of radial nerve

A patient loses sensation over the dorsolateral hand but has preserved sensation over the fingertips. Which nerve is most likely injured?

Lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm

A patient develops sensory loss over the lateral forearm after an injury near the elbow. Which nerve is involved?

Axillary nerve

After an anterior shoulder dislocation, a patient has numbness over the skin covering the deltoid. Which nerve is injured?

Radial nerve

A midshaft humeral fracture causes sensory loss over the posterior arm and forearm. Which nerve is most likely affected?

Musculocutaneous nerve

A lesion of this nerve causes sensory loss over the lateral forearm after the nerve continues beyond the elbow. Which nerve's cutaneous branch is responsible?

Intercostobrachial nerve

After axillary lymph-node dissection, a patient develops numbness along the medial upper arm and axilla. Which nerve is commonly affected?

Dorsal cutaneous branch of ulnar nerve

A patient has numbness over the dorsal little finger and adjacent dorsal half of the ring finger. Which branch is affected?

Palmar cutaneous branch of median nerve

Why can sensation over the thenar eminence remain intact in carpal tunnel syndrome?

Median nerve

A patient with carpal tunnel syndrome has sensory loss in the lateral 3½ digits but preserved sensation over the thenar eminence. Which nerve is compressed?

Superficial branch of radial nerve

A laceration near the dorsolateral wrist causes sensory loss over the dorsum of the thumb and adjacent hand. Which nerve is injured?

Medial cutaneous nerve of forearm

Which named cutaneous nerve supplies the medial aspect of the forearm?

Posterior cutaneous nerve of forearm

Which cutaneous nerve is a branch of the radial nerve that supplies the posterior forearm?

No anterior cutaneous nerve of arm

Which major cutaneous nerve category is notably absent from the arm's named cutaneous nerves: anterior, posterior, medial, or lateral?

Peripheral nerve territory

What type of skin territory is supplied by a named peripheral nerve rather than by a single spinal nerve root?

Dermatome

What is a skin area supplied mainly by a single spinal nerve root?

Peripheral nerve lesion

Why can testing specific skin territories help localize an upper-limb nerve injury?

Superficial branch of radial nerve

Which nerve is sensory in the hand and supplies the dorsolateral hand rather than the palmar lateral 3½ digits?

Ulnar nerve

Which nerve provides cutaneous sensation to the medial 1½ digits on both palmar and dorsal aspects, through different branches?