Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2012, Vol. 7 ›› Issue (9): 703-707.

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Anatomical feasibility of vagus nerve esophageal branch transfer to the phrenic nerve

Ce Wang1, Jun Liu2, Wen Yuan1, Xuhui Zhou1, Xinwei Wang1, Peng Xu1, Jian Chen1, Guoxin Wu1, Sheng Shi1   

  1. 1 Department of Orthopedics, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 210000, China
    2 Department of Orthopedics, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Area Command of Chinese PLA, Shenyang 110016, Liaoning Province, China
  • Received:2011-12-05 Revised:2012-02-03 Online:2012-03-25 Published:2012-03-25
  • Contact: Xuhui Zhou, M.D., Associate professor, Department of Orthopedics, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 210000, China; Wen Yuan, Professor, Doctoral supervisor, Department of Orthopedics, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 210000, China shanghaizhouxuhui@ 163.com;yuanwenspine@163.com
  • About author:Ce Wang☆, M.D., Attending physician, Department of Orthopedics, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 210000, China Ce Wang and Jun Liu contributed equally to this article.

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Abstract:

This study measured the vagus and phrenic nerves from 12 adult cadavers. We found that the width and thickness of the vagus and phrenic nerves were different in the chest. The distance from the point of the vagus nerve and phrenic nerve on the plane of the inferior border of portal pulmonary arteries (T point) was approximately 7 cm to the diaphragm and was approximately 10 cm to the clavicle level. The number of motor fibers in the vagus nerves was 1 716 ± 362, and the number of nerve fibers was 4 473 ± 653. The number of motor fibers in the phrenic nerves ranged from 3 078 ± 684 to 4 794 ± 638, and the number of nerve fibers ranged from 3 437 ± 642 to 5 071 ± 723. No significant difference was found in the total number of nerve fibers. The results suggest that width, thickness, and total number of nerve fibers are similar between the vagus and phrenic nerves, but the number of motor fibers is different between them.

Key words: phrenic nerve, vagus nerve, esophageal plexus, anatomy, nerve transplantation, nerve fiber