[Supraclavicular nerves perforating the clavicle. Study of 10 cases]

The present study concerns a report on the observations of supraclavicular nerves with abnormal passage though one or several intraclavicular bone canals. The explanation of the formation of interclavicular canals is found by the normal development of the clavicle. In most of the cases the bone canals are situated in the central part of the clavicule and rarely at the acromial end. The canals are either superficial or deep. Often bone bridges are formed. The bone canals and the supraclavicular nerves are barely visible on X-ray photographs. Polarising microscope analysis shows that the intraclavicular canals do not have the structure of the perforating canals of Volkmann. It can be deduced that the supraclavicular nerves have not pierced the bone substance already formed but, that they have been enclosed during later bone formation. Of the 254 cases studied (189 male and 65 female) the incidence of the described abnormality was 4% (10 cases) of which 3% were male.