Intercostal nerve

The **intercostal nerves** are mixed peripheral nerves originating from the anterior rami of thoracic spinal nerves T1 to T11, travelling within the intercostal spaces between the ribs[1][2][3][6]. Each nerve contains motor fibers that innervate the intercostal muscles (essential for respiration) and abdominal muscles, sensory fibers carrying afferent information from skin, ribs, pleura, and peritoneum, and sympathetic fibers innervating sweat glands and blood vessels[1][3][4][6]. The nerves are classified as "typical" (T3–T6) or "atypical" (T1–T2, T7–T11) depending on their anatomical course and distribution[1][2]. Intercostal nerves are involved in segmental chest wall and abdominal supply, and are significant in certain pain syndromes (such as intercostal neuralgia); however, they are not druggable molecular therapeutic targets in the sense of receptors or enzymes, and clinical interventions mainly involve physical block with local anesthetics[6].

Other names

Intercostal nervesthoracic spinal nerve anterior rami (T1-T11)thoracoabdominal nerve (for T7-T11)subcostal nerve (for T12, but not strictly an intercostal nerve)

Nerve conduction blockade (for local anesthetics—block voltage-gated sodium channels within the intercostal nerve)