Brain Advance Access originally published online on February 16, 2005
Brain 2005 128(4):892-895; doi:10.1093/brain/awh438
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Peripheral projections of sensory fascicles in the human superficial radial nerve
1 Department of Neurological Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile, 2 Neuropathic Pain Unit, Hospital General de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain and 3 Oregon Nerve Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, Portland, OR, USA
Correspondence to: Dr M. Campero, Departamento de Ciencias Neurológicas, Universidad de Chile, J. M. Infante 553, Providencia, Santiago, Chile E-mail: mcampero{at}med.uchile.cl
The sensory territories of different cutaneous fascicles of the superficial radial nerve were delineated by microneurography at the level of the distal forearm in humans. Three fascicular patterns were found at this level: one supplying the dorsum of the radial aspect of the dorsum of the hand over the first dorsal interosseous space; another supplying the lateral aspect of the first metacarpal extending to the lateral aspect of the thumb; and a third innervating the second interosseous space and the proximal phalanx of the index and middle fingers. The compound fascicular territory is comparable to the classical territory described for the superficial radial nerve. Intraneural microstimulation of individual fascicles did not evoke paraesthesiae or pain beyond their fascicular territory, regardless of the stimulus intensity. We conclude that the superficial radial nerve at the forearm in man is composed of only three fascicles, as shown by the present study and from previous anatomical work. Referred pain seems related to nerve activity in afferent fibres from fascicles supplying deep tissues and muscles, not from cutaneous afferents.