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Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Retrograde Neuroanatomical Tracing of Phrenic Motor Neurons in Mice
Published on: February 22, 2018
Internal thoracic artery encircled by an unusual phrenic nerve loop
Abstract:
We report an anatomic variation of the phrenic nerve. During a routine gross anatomical dissection course at our medical university, we found an unusual loop of the left phrenic nerve around the internal thoracic artery, about 1 cm from the take-off of the left subclavian artery. The phrenic nerve is close to the internal thoracic artery and is easily injured when dissecting the internal thoracic artery for coronary artery bypass conduit. Therefore, we suggest that the anatomic relationship of the phrenic nerve and internal thoracic artery is important in preventing incidental injury of the phrenic nerve.
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