Breast and endocrine surgery: intercostobrachial nerve: practice question

A General Surgery question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Surgery · Breast and endocrine surgery: intercostobrachial nerve

Sample item

After a level II axillary clearance, a woman has numbness and tingling over the skin of the axilla and the medial upper arm, with no weakness. Which nerve has been divided or stretched?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Intercostobrachial nerve

The intercostobrachial nerve crosses the axilla and supplies sensation to the axilla and medial arm. Division during axillary dissection causes numbness. It is a sensory nerve, whereas the long thoracic, thoracodorsal and pectoral nerves are motor.

Option by option

  • A. Medial pectoral nerve

    The medial pectoral nerve supplies pectoralis minor and part of major.

  • B. Intercostobrachial nerve (correct)

    Correct. Its division causes sensory loss over the axilla and medial arm.

  • C. Thoracodorsal nerve

    The thoracodorsal nerve supplies latissimus dorsi and has no cutaneous territory.

  • D. Long thoracic nerve

    The long thoracic nerve supplies serratus anterior, and its injury causes winging.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More General Surgery questions

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is B, Intercostobrachial nerve. The intercostobrachial nerve crosses the axilla and supplies sensation to the axilla and medial arm.

Why is "Medial pectoral nerve" not the answer?

The medial pectoral nerve supplies pectoralis minor and part of major.

Why is "Thoracodorsal nerve" not the answer?

The thoracodorsal nerve supplies latissimus dorsi and has no cutaneous territory.

Why is "Long thoracic nerve" not the answer?

The long thoracic nerve supplies serratus anterior, and its injury causes winging.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Breast and endocrine surgery: intercostobrachial nerve in General Surgery. Division during axillary dissection causes numbness. It is a sensory nerve, whereas the long thoracic, thoracodorsal and pectoral nerves are motor.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Breast and endocrine surgery: intercostobrachial nerve?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.