Table of most common surgical approaches in orthopaedic surgery

REGION APPROACH EPONYM MUSCULAR INTERVAL 1 MUSCULAR INTERVAL 2 DANGERS

Shoulder Anterior Deltoid (axillary) Pec Major (med / lat pec) MC N/Axillary N/ceph V
Lateral Deltoid (splitting) (axillary) Deltoid (splitting) (axillary) Axillary N
Posterior Infraspinatus (Suprascap) Teres minor (axillary) Ax N / post cir hum A

Humerus Anterolateral(Proximal) Deltoid(Axillary) Pec Mjr(med/lat pectoral) Axillary N / ant cir hum A
Anterolateral(Distal) Medial fibers Brachialis(MC) Lat fibers Brachialis(Radial) Radial Nerve
Posterior Split heads of triceps (radial) Radial N / Ulnar nerve

Lat ABC A / radial N

Elbow Anterolateral(Prox) Brachialis (Median) Brachioradialis (Radial)
Radial Recurrent AV
Anterolateral(Distal) Brachioradialis (Radial) Pronator Teres (median)
Posterolateral Kocher Anconeus (radial) Ext carpi ulnaris (PIN) PIN (diss to ann lig)
Triceps / pron teres
Medial Brachialis (musculocutaneous) Ulnar N
(radial / median)
Forearm Volar(Proximal) Henry Brachioradialis (radial) Pron teres (median) PIN
Volar(Distal) Brachioradialis (radial) FCR (Median)
Dorsal(Proximal) Thompson ECRB (radial) EDC (PIN) PIN
Dorsal(Distal) ECRB (radial) EPL (PIN)
Ulnar ECU (PIN) FCU (ulnar) Ulnar N and A

Wrist Dorsal 3rd Compartment EPL (PIN) 4th Compartmt EIP/EDC (PIN) Radial N (superficial)

Scaphoid Volar Russe FCR or through sheath (median) Radial A Radial A

Dorsolateral Matti 1st compartment (PIN) 3rd compartment (PIN) Sup rad N / radial A

Iliac Crest Posterior Gluteus maximus (inf gluteal) Latissimus dorsi (thoracodorsal) Clunial N, SGA, Sciatic N
Anterior TFL / glut med & min(sup gluteal) Ext abd oblique (segmental) ASIS / LFCN

Thigh Lateral Vastus lateralis (femoral) Vastus lateralis (femoral) Perf br of profundus
Posterolateral Vastus lateralis (femoral) Hamstrings (sciatic) Perf br of profundus
Anteromedial Rectus femoris (femoral) Vastus medialis (femoral) Med sup geniculate A

Distal
Posterior Biceps Femoris (sciatic) Vastus lateralis (femoral) Sciatic N / PFCN
Femur
REGION APPROACH EPONYM MUSCULAR INTERVAL 1 MUSCULAR INTERVAL 2 DANGERS

Anterior- Smith- LFCN, Fem N. asc br

Hip Sartorius(Femoral nerve) TFL(Sup Gluteal Nerve)
Superficial Peterson LFCA
Anterior - Smith-
Rectus femoris(femoral) Gluteus medius (sup gluteal) Same
Deep Peterson
Watson-
Anterolateral Tensor fasciae latae (sup gluteal) Gluteus medius (sup gluteal) Fem NAV / Profunda A
Jones
Fem NAV / LF Circ
Lateral Hardinge Splits glut Med (sup gluteal) Splits vastus lat (femoral)
artery
Southern
Posterior Splits glut Max (inf gluteal) N/A Sciatic N, inf glut A
Moore
Medial- Superficial Ludloff Add longus (Ant div obturator) Gracilis (Ant div obturator) Ant div obt N / MFCA
Medial- Deep Ludloff Add brevis (ant div obturator) Add magnus(Obtur/Tibial) Same

Infrapatellar br saph
Knee Med Parapatellar Vastus medialis (femoral) Rectus Femoris(Femoral)
Nerve
Medial Vastus medialis (femoral) Sartorius (femoral) Infrapat br saph N, MCL
Peroneal N / popliteus
Lateral Iliotibial band (sup gluteal) Biceps femoris (sciatic)
ten.
Semimemb / Medial gastroc Biceps / lateral gastroc Med sural cut N / tib N /
Posterior
(tibial) (Tibial) peroneal N
 Lessser saph V / Post tib
Tibia Posterolateral GS, soleus, FHL (tibial) Peroneus brev/long(sup peron)
A
Anterior Tibialis anterior (Deep peroneal) Periosteum Long saph V

Sup and Deep peroneal

Ankle Anterior EHL (deep peroneal) EDL (deep peroneal)
N / Ant tib Artery
Posteorlateral Peroneus brevis (sup peroneal) FHL (tibial) Sural N / Short saph V
Posteromedial FHL Peroneals Post Tib Artery/Nerve

Med Mall Posterior Tibialis posterior (tibial) FDL (tibial) Post Tib Artery/Nerve
Anterior -------- --------- Saphenous N and V

Sural N, Sup Peron

Lat Mall Lateral Peroneus tertius (deep peroneal) Peroneus brevis (sup peron)
Nerve

Foot Anterolateral Peroneal muscles (sup peroneal) EDC/per tertius (deep peron) Deep per N / ant tib A
Posteromedial Tibialis posterior or FDL (tibial) FDL or FHL (tibial) Post tib A / N