Second intercostal nerve

The lateral cutaneous branch

Lateral cutaneous branch

Lateral cutaneous branch can refer to:* Lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm* Lateral cutaneous branches of intercostal nerves* lateral cutaneous branches of torso, of ventral primary ramus of thoracic spinal nerves...

 of the second intercostal nerve does not divide, like the others, into an anterior and a posterior branch; it is named the intercostobrachial nerve. It pierces the Intercostalis externus and the Serratus anterior, crosses the axilla to the medial side of the arm, and joins with a filament from the medial brachial cutaneous nerve. It then pierces the fascia, and supplies the skin of the upper half of the medial and posterior part of the arm, communicating with the posterior brachial cutaneous branch of the radial nerve

Radial nerve

The radial nerve is a nerve in the human body that supplies the upper limb. It supplies the medial and lateral heads of the triceps brachii muscle of the arm, as well as all 12 muscles in the posterior osteofascial compartment of the forearm and the associated joints and overlying skin.It...

. It is often the source of referred cardiac pain.

The intercostabrachial nerve is also sometimes divided in axialliary node clearance (ANC), such as that done for breast cancer surgery which requires the removal of the axilliary nodes. Sensation to the cutaneous region supplied by the nerve is affected.

The size of the intercostobrachial nerve is in inverse relationship to that of the medial brachial cutaneous nerve.

Third intercostal nerve

A second intercostobrachial nerve is frequently given off from the lateral cutaneous branch

Lateral cutaneous branch

Lateral cutaneous branch can refer to:* Lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm* Lateral cutaneous branches of intercostal nerves* lateral cutaneous branches of torso, of ventral primary ramus of thoracic spinal nerves...

 of the third intercostal; it supplies filaments to the axilla and medial side of the arm.