QuestionSBA
QuestionChoice
This is incorrect. The musculocutaneous nerve is responsible for elbow flexion and supination, not wrist flexion or thumb adduction. Furthermore, the sensory distribution of the musculocutaneous nerve is to the lateral part of the forearm, not the medial one-and-a-half fingers. The pattern of deficits seen in this patient is therefore most in keeping with an ulnar nerve lesion.
10025816
b
Mucsculocutaneous nerve
QuestionChoice
This is incorrect. The radial nerve is responsible for forearm, wrist, finger and thumb extension, not wrist flexion or thumb adduction. Furthermore, the sensory distribution of the radial nerve is to the dorsal aspect of the thumb, index and middle finger, as well as the lateral side of the ring finger. The pattern of deficits seen in this patient is therefore most in keeping with an ulnar nerve lesion.
10025818
d
Radial nerve
QuestionChoice
This is correct. This vignette is strongly suggestive of an ulnar nerve injury. Fracture to the medial epicondyle is a common cause of ulnar nerve injury, and this is suggested by the tenderness of the medial epicondyle on a background of recent trauma. The patient also demonstrates weakness in wrist flexion and thumb adduction; both functions of the ulnar nerve. Furthermore, the patient shows a sensory deficit in the medial one-and-a-half digits of the right hand, which is supplied by the ulnar nerve.
10025815
a
Ulnar nerve
QuestionChoice
This is incorrect. The median nerve is responsible for motor actions of the LOAF (flexor pollicis brevis, opponens pollicis, abductor pollicis brevis and lateral two lumbricals) muscles of the hand, including but not limited to little finger abduction and flexion. It is not responsible for wrist flexion or thumb adduction. Furthermore, the sensory distribution is to the lateral three-and-a-half fingers rather than the medial one-and-a-half fingers. The pattern of deficits seen in this patient is therefore most in keeping with an ulnar nerve lesion.
10025819
e
Median nerve
QuestionChoice
This is incorrect. The axillary nerve is responsible for shoulder abduction, not wrist flexion or thumb adduction. Furthermore, the sensory distribution of the axillary nerve is the inferior region of the deltoid muscle, not the medial one-and-a-half fingers. The pattern of deficits seen in this patient is therefore most in keeping with an ulnar nerve lesion.
10025817
c
Axillary nerve
Concept
Chapter
2693
3866
Ulnar nerve injuries
Topic
145
Orthopaedics
17561
A 25 year old male patient presents to A&E after a cricket ball hits him in the right elbow during a match. On examination, there is marked tenderness at the right medial epicondyle. There is also weakness of wrist flexion and thumb adduction on the right side compared to the left, as well as a sensory deficit in the medial one-and-a-half digits of the right hand.

Which of the following nerves is most likely to be damaged?
a