ecancermedicalscience

Short Communication

How I do it: Simple and effortless approach to identify thoracodorsal nerve on axillary clearance procedure

28 May 2012
T Zin, M Maw, SM Oo, DR Pai, RB Paijan, M Kyi

Breast cancer surgery frequently involves an axillary clearance procedure for nodal metastases. Injury to the thoracodorsal nerve is one of the complications related to the axillary dissection. The thoracodorsal nerve innervates the latissimus dorsi muscle which facilitates in certain movements of the arm. Moreover, it can be used as a nerve graft in long thoracic nerve injury whether in trauma or surgery. Understanding the anatomy structures and good surgical technique in the axillary clearance procedure can identify and prevent such an injury to the thoracodorsal nerve. Here, we demonstrate a simple and effortless technique for identification of the thoracodorsal nerve
during axillary surgery.


Keywords: thoracodorsal nerve, axilla, axillary clearance

Related Articles

Yanet Isabel Carrasco Rojas, Albert Gabriel Turpo Peqqueña, Natalia Camila Zenteno Tejada, Victoria Elena Quispe Pastor, Juan Augusto Martínez San Martín, Evelyn Maria Chambilla Huellcacure
Jeanine Justiniano, Ally H Mwanga, Daniel W Kitua, Nashivai E Kivuyo, Seif Wibonela, Cameron E Gaskill
Joaquin Fernandez-Alberti, Alex R Villaalta López, Guillermo Scolari, Alejandro Iotti, Marcelo Featherston
Izaberen Sampaio Estevam, Mariana Macambira Noronha, Júlia Matos Dubanhevitz, Eric Lima Freitas Mota, Ígor Giordan Duarte Jorge, Conceição Aparecida Dornelas, Diane Isabelle Magno Cavalcante, Georgia Fiuza Alencar Araripe, Márcio Marcondes Vieira
Jessica J Farzan, Jiddu Guart, Gabriel De la Cruz Ku, Nichita Kulkarni, Rachel Huselid, Anshumi Desai, Camila Franco, Vanessa Mroueh, Jessica Mroueh, Gonzalo Ziegler