Surgical Exposure of the Brachial Plexus

A nterior rami of the spinal nerve roots from the C5 to the T1 levels of the spinal cord come together in the posterior triangle of the neck to form the brachial plexus. The subdivisions of the brachial plexus, including the roots, trunks, divisions, cords, and nerves, traverse the lateral extent of the posterior triangle of the neck, the upper thorax, the axilla, and the upper extremity. The brachial plexus surgeon must be familiar with not only the anatomy of the neck, thorax, shoulder, and arm, but also with the surgical approaches that provide optimal exposure to both the pathology and the neural elements.