A knife wound just medial to the medial border of the right scapula leaves a 26-year-old man unable to pull his scapula back against the chest wall; at rest the scapula sits further from the midline than on the left. Which nerve is injured?

• A Dorsal scapular nerve ✓
• B Long thoracic nerve
• C Accessory nerve
• D Upper subscapular nerve

Explanation

The dorsal scapular nerve arises directly from the C5 root, pierces scalenus medius and runs deep to levator scapulae to supply the rhomboids, which retract the scapula. Their paralysis lets the scapula drift laterally. Serratus anterior protraction loss from long thoracic injury produces winging on pushing rather than failure of retraction, excluding option B.

Reference: Moore's Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 9th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.