Upper Extremity Axon Counts and Clinical Implications for Motor Nerve Transfer

Nerve transfers are planned based on the following parameters: location, number of branches, and axon count matching of the donor and recipient nerves. The authors have previously defined the former two in upper limb muscles. In the literature, axon counts are obtained from various sources, using different methods of histomorphometry. This study describes the axon counts of the same primary motor nerve branches from the authors' previous study using a uniform method of manual histomorphometry and completes the authors' blueprint of upper limb neuromuscular anatomy for reconstructive surgery.

The distal ends of the primary nerve branches of 23 upper limb muscles were harvested from 10 fresh frozen cadaveric upper limbs. Manual quantitative histomorphometry was performed by two independent investigators, and the average was reported.

The primary nerve branches of the arm muscles had higher average axon counts (range, 882 to 1835) compared with those of the forearm muscles (range, 267 to 883). In the forearm, wrist flexor (range, 659 to 746) and extensor (range, 543 to 745) nerve branches had axons counts that were similar to those of potential donors (e.g., supinator, n = 602; pronator teres, n = 625; flexor digitorum superficialis, n = 883; and flexor digitorum profundus, n = 832).

Apart from describing the axon counts of the upper limb, the authors have found that the forearm axon counts are very comparable. This insight, when combined with information on the location and number of primary nerve branches, will empower surgeons to tailor bespoke nerve transfers for every clinical situation.