Editing Brachial plexus (section)

===Branches===
The '''branches''' are listed below. Most branches arise from the cords, but a few branches (indicated in italics) arise directly from earlier structures. The five on the left are considered "terminal branches". These terminal branches are the [[musculocutaneous nerve]], the [[axillary nerve]], the [[radial nerve]], the [[median nerve]], and the [[ulnar nerve]]. Due to both emerging from the lateral cord the [[musculocutaneous nerve]] and the [[median nerve]] are well connected. The [[musculocutaneous nerve]] has even been shown to send a branch to the [[median nerve]] further connecting them.<ref name="Brachial Plexus Palsy"/> There have been several variations reported in the branching pattern but these are very rare.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Goel|first1=Shivi|last2=Rustagi|first2=SM|last3=Kumar|first3=A|last4=Mehta|first4=V|last5=Suri|first5=RK|title=Multiple unilateral variations in medial and lateral cords of brachial plexus and their branches|journal=Anatomy & Cell Biology|date=Mar 13, 2014|volume=47|issue=1|pages=77–80|doi=10.5115/acb.2014.47.1.77|pmc=3968270|pmid=24693486}}</ref>

'''Bold''' indicates primary spinal root component of nerve. ''Italics'' indicate spinal roots that frequently, but not always, contribute to the nerve.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| From || Nerve || Roots<ref name=Moore_table>{{cite book |last1=Moore |first1=K.L. |last2=Agur |first2=A.M. |year=2007 |title=Essential Clinical Anatomy |edition=3rd |location=Baltimore |publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |pages=430–1 |isbn=978-0-7817-6274-8}}</ref> || Muscles || [[Cutaneous innervation|Cutaneous]]
|- style="background:#ffcccc"
| roots || [[dorsal scapular nerve]]  || ''[[cervical spinal nerve 4|C4]]'', '''[[cervical spinal nerve 5|C5]]'''  || [[rhomboid muscle]]s and [[levator scapulae]] || -
|- style="background:#ffcccc"
| roots || [[long thoracic nerve]] || '''C5''', '''[[cervical spinal nerve 6|C6]]''', [[cervical spinal nerve 7|C7]] || [[serratus anterior]] || -
|- style="background:#ffcccc"
| roots ||  branch to [[phrenic nerve]]  || '''C3, C4,C5''' || [[Thoracic diaphragm|Diaphragm]] || -
|- style="background:#ccffcc"
| upper trunk || [[nerve to the subclavius]]  ||  ''C5'', '''C6''' || [[subclavius muscle]] || -
|- style="background:#ccffcc"
| upper trunk || [[suprascapular nerve]]  || '''C5''', C6 || [[supraspinatus]] and [[infraspinatus]] || -
|- style="background:#aaccff"
| lateral cord || [[lateral pectoral nerve]]  || C5, '''C6''', C7 || [[pectoralis major]] and [[pectoralis minor]] (by communicating with the [[medial pectoral nerve]]) || -
|- style="background:#aaccff"
| lateral cord || [[musculocutaneous nerve]]  || C5, C6, C7 || [[coracobrachialis]], [[brachialis]] and [[biceps brachii]] || Becomes the [[lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm]] Innervates the skin of the anterolateral forearm; elbow joint.<ref name="Anatomy and Physiology"/>
|- style="background:#aaccff"
| lateral cord || lateral root of the [[median nerve]]  || ''C5'',C6,C7 || fibres to the median nerve 
(see below) 
|| -
|- style="background:#ffffcc"
| posterior cord || [[upper subscapular nerve]]  || C5, C6 || [[subscapularis]] (upper part) || -
|- style="background:#ffffcc"
| posterior cord || [[thoracodorsal nerve]] (middle subscapular nerve)  || C6, '''C7''', C8 || [[latissimus dorsi]] || -
|- style="background:#ffffcc"
| posterior cord || [[lower subscapular nerve]]  || C5, C6 || subscapularis (lower part ) and [[teres major]] || -
|- style="background:#ffffcc"
| posterior cord || [[axillary nerve]]  || '''C5''', C6 || anterior branch: [[deltoid muscle|deltoid]] and a small area of overlying skin<br> posterior branch: [[teres minor]] and deltoid muscles || posterior branch becomes [[superior lateral cutaneous nerve of arm]]. Innervates the skin of the lateral shoulder and arm: shoulder joint.<ref name="Anatomy and Physiology"/>
|- style="background:#ffffcc"
| posterior cord || [[radial nerve]]  || C5, C6, C7, C8, T1 || [[triceps]] brachii, [[supinator]], [[anconeus]], the [[Extension (kinesiology)|extensor]] muscles of the [[forearm]], and [[brachioradialis]]  || skin of the posterior arm and posterior forearm as the posterior cutaneous nerve of the arm and the posterior cutaneous nerve of the forearm, respectively. Also superficial branch of radial nerve supplies back of the hand, including the web of skin between the thumb and index finger.
|- style="background:#dddddd"
| medial cord || [[medial pectoral nerve]]  || C8, T1 || [[pectoralis major]] and [[pectoralis minor]]  || -
|- style="background:#dddddd"
| medial cord || medial root of the [[median nerve]]  || C8, T1 || all of the [[flexors in the forearm]] except [[flexor carpi ulnaris]] and that part of [[flexor digitorum profundus]] that supplies the 4th and 5th digits
1st and 2nd [[Lumbricals of the hand|lumbrical]] muscles. muscles of the [[thenar eminence]] by a recurrent thenar branch
|| portions of hand not served by ulnar or radial, i.e skin of the palmar side of the [[thumb]], the [[Index finger|index]] and [[middle finger]], half the [[ring finger]], and the [[Nail (anatomy)|nail bed]] of these [[finger]]s
|- style="background:#dddddd"
| medial cord || [[medial cutaneous nerve of the arm]]  || C8, T1 || - || front and medial skin of the [[arm]]
|- style="background:#dddddd"
| medial cord || [[medial cutaneous nerve of the forearm]]  || C8, T1 || - || medial skin of the forearm
|- style="background:#dddddd"
| medial cord || [[ulnar nerve]]  ||C7, C8, T1(C7 because it supplies to the Flexor carpi ulnaris)|| [[flexor carpi ulnaris]], the medial two bellies of [[flexor digitorum profundus]], the [[Hand#Muscles and tendons|intrinsic hand muscles]], except the [[thenar muscles]] and the two lateral [[lumbricals of the hand]] which are served by the [[median nerve]] || the skin of the medial side of the hand and medial one and a half fingers on the palmar side and medial two and a half fingers on the dorsal side
|}