Anatom3DPosterior cord of brachial plexus
Fasciculus posterior plexus brachialis · Zadní svazek pažní pleteně
Nervous system
Looks like
The cord of the brachial plexus lying behind the axillary artery, formed by all three posterior divisions.
What it does
Gives the radial and axillary nerves, supplying all the extensor muscles of the arm.
Keeping it well
Crutch pressure or armpit injury can damage it, causing wrist drop and weak shoulder lifting.
Related conditions
- Amyloidosis (AL and ATTR)
- Botulism
- Chickenpox (varicella)
- Chronic neuropathic pain
- Chronic pain syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
- Guillain-Barré syndrome
- Lyme disease
- Myasthenia gravis
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
- Rabies
- Restless legs syndrome
- Shingles (herpes zoster)
- Shoulder dislocation
- Tetanus
- Thoracic outlet syndrome
- Vitamin B1, C and other deficiencies