multifascicular

Multifascicular is an adjective used in anatomy, histology, and medical descriptions to indicate that a structure comprises multiple fascicles. A fascicle is a bundle of fibers, typically nerve fibers or muscle fibers, bound together by connective tissue. The term derives from Latin fasciculus, meaning a small bundle.

In muscular contexts, many skeletal muscles are organized into several fascicles, giving rise to a multifascicular arrangement. This architecture allows variation in fiber types, function, and force production within a single muscle.

In nervous contexts, peripheral nerves are typically organized into fascicles surrounded by connective tissue. A nerve trunk may be described as multifascicular if it contains several such bundles. Descriptions of a multifascicular nerve pattern are common in anatomical studies, surgical planning, and imaging reports, and they can have implications for approaches to anesthesia, nerve repair, or lesion localization.

In pathology and clinical reporting, multifascicular is used to describe the distribution of fibers or fibers’ pathology across multiple fascicles. For example, a report might note multifascicular involvement when disease or injury affects several fascicles within a nerve or muscle rather than a single bundle.

See also: fascicle, unifascicular, multifascicular neuropathy.