Third root of median nerve –a cadaveric study

The third root of median nerve though rare has definite embryological basis and clinical impact. The Present study was conducted in the postgraduate Department of Anatomy at Government Medical College Srinagar to study the variations in the number of roots of median nerve during routine dissection for academic purposes between 2001 -20014. Both upper limbs of 35 Indian cadavers were dissected out for routine anatomic teaching and simultaneously recording observations. It was observed that in one of the female cadavers the left median nerve had three roots (one medial and two lateral). The two lateral roots originated from the lateral cord and the medial root originated from medial cord of brachial plexus. The third root originated between the origins of the lateral root and the musculocutaneous nerve from lateral cord of brachial plexus. This anomalous root joined with the median nerve distal to the lateral root in the proximal third of arm. The third root of median nerve though rare is of great academic and clinical significance in Surgery, Neurophysiology, Orthopedics, Anaesthesiology, Sports medicine and Physiotherapy.