phrenic nerve

Origin

• originates in the cervical plexus, conveys fibers mostly from the 4th cervical nerve

Innervation

• diaphragm
• sensory fibers
  • mediastinal parietal pleura
  • pericardium
  • diaphragmatic pleura & peritoneum

Course

• it courses inferiorly anterior to the anterior scalene muscle & enters the thorax between the subclavian artery & subclavian vein posterior to the sternoclavicular joint
• it continues anterior to the root of the lung to innervate the diaphragm

Branches

• communicating branches with the celiac plexus

More general terms

• peripheral nerve

Additional terms

• celiac plexus
• diaphragm muscle