complete Brachial artery

Brachial artery definition

The brachial artery (arteria brachialis, плечевая артерия) is the main artery of the arm, continuing from the axillary artery (arteria axillaris, подмышечная артерия) at the lower border of the teres major muscle (m. teres major, большая круглая мышца)

Course of brachial artery

It runs down the medial side of the arm in the medial bicipital groove (sulcus bicipitalis medialis, медиальная борозда двуглавой мышцы), between the biceps brachii (m. biceps brachii, двуглавая мышца плеча) and triceps brachii (m. triceps brachii, трёхглавая мышца плеча)

Termination of brachial artery

It ends in the cubital fossa (fossa cubiti, локтевая ямка) by dividing into the radial (arteria radialis, лучевая артерия) and ulnar (arteria ulnaris, локтевая артерия) arteries

Relations of brachial artery superficial

Covered by skin, superficial and deep fascia

crossed superficially by the median nerve (nervus medianus, срединный нерв) from lateral to medial

Relations of brachial artery medial

Ulnar nerve (nervus ulnaris, локтевой нерв), basilic vein (vena basilica, основная вена), and medial cutaneous nerves of arm and forearm

Relations of brachial artery lateral

Median nerve (in lower half) and biceps brachii muscle with its tendon

Relations of brachial artery posterior

Lies on triceps brachii and brachialis muscles

separated from humerus by triceps except distally, where it lies directly on brachialis (m. brachialis, плечевая мышца)

Clinical note brachial artery

Vulnerable to injury in supracondylar humeral fractures

injury can cause ischemia of forearm and hand

Deep artery of arm

Arteria profunda brachii (глубокая артерия плеча), largest branch, arises high in arm, accompanies radial nerve (n. radialis, лучевой нерв) in radial groove (sulcus nervi radialis, лучевая борозда), supplies triceps

Terminal branches of deep artery

Middle collateral artery (a. collateralis media, средняя коллатеральная артерия) and radial collateral artery (a. collateralis radialis, лучевая коллатеральная артерия)

Superior ulnar collateral artery

Arteria collateralis ulnaris superior (верхняя локтевая коллатеральная артерия), arises mid-arm, descends with ulnar nerve, anastomoses with posterior ulnar recurrent artery (a. recurrens ulnaris posterior)

Inferior ulnar collateral artery

Arteria collateralis ulnaris inferior (нижняя локтевая коллатеральная артерия), arises 5 cm above elbow, passes anterior to medial epicondyle, anastomoses with anterior ulnar recurrent artery (a. recurrens ulnaris anterior)

Nutrient artery to humerus

Arteria nutricia humeri (питательная артерия плечевой кости), small branch entering humeral shaft to supply bone

Muscular branches of brachial artery

Rami musculares (мышечные ветви), supply biceps brachii, brachialis, and coracobrachialis

Terminal branches of brachial artery

Radial artery (arteria radialis, лучевая артерия) and ulnar artery (arteria ulnaris, локтевая артерия)

Elbow anastomosis

Network formed by collateral branches (superior and inferior ulnar, radial, middle) connecting with recurrent arteries around the elbow (rete articulare cubiti)

Clinical significance brachial artery

Used for blood pressure measurement

compression of brachial artery stops distal bleeding

injury causes Volkmann’s ischemic contracture

Radial artery definition

The radial artery (arteria radialis, лучевая артерия) is the lateral terminal branch of the brachial artery supplying the lateral forearm, wrist, and hand

Origin of radial artery

Begins in cubital fossa (fossa cubiti) at level of neck of radius, lateral to biceps tendon

Course of radial artery in forearm

Descends under brachioradialis (m. brachioradialis, плечелучевая мышца), between it and flexor carpi radialis (m. flexor carpi radialis, лучевой сгибатель запястья), becomes superficial distally where pulse is felt

Course of radial artery at wrist

Winds around lateral side of wrist through anatomical snuffbox (tabatière anatomique, анатомическая табакерка), lies on scaphoid and trapezium

Course of radial artery in hand

Passes between heads of first dorsal interosseous muscle, enters palm, joins deep branch of ulnar artery to form deep palmar arch (arcus palmaris profundus, глубокая ладонная дуга)

Radial recurrent artery

Arteria recurrens radialis (лучевая возвратная артерия), arises near origin, ascends to anastomose with radial collateral artery, part of elbow anastomosis

Muscular branches of radial artery

Rami musculares (мышечные ветви), supply radial forearm muscles including brachioradialis and flexor carpi radialis

Palmar carpal branch

Ramus carpalis palmaris (ладонная запястная ветвь), runs medially to form palmar carpal arch with ulnar artery, supplies wrist joints and carpal bones

Superficial palmar branch

Ramus palmaris superficialis (поверхностная ладонная ветвь), anastomoses with terminal ulnar artery to form superficial palmar arch (arcus palmaris superficialis, поверхностная ладонная дуга)

Dorsal carpal branch

Ramus carpalis dorsalis (тыльная запястная ветвь), forms dorsal carpal arch (rete carpale dorsale, тыльная запястная сеть) with ulnar artery, supplies dorsum of hand

First dorsal metacarpal artery

Arteria metacarpea dorsalis prima (первая тыльная пястная артерия), supplies adjacent sides of thumb and index finger on dorsum

Princeps pollicis artery

Arteria princeps pollicis (артерия большого пальца), main blood supply to thumb, divides into two palmar branches

Radialis indicis artery

Arteria radialis indicis (лучевая артерия указательного пальца), supplies lateral side of index finger

Radial pulse

Palpated in distal forearm lateral to flexor carpi radialis tendon, most common site for pulse check

Allen’s test

Clinical test assessing collateral circulation of radial and ulnar arteries before cannulation or surgery

Radial artery in surgery

Common site for arterial blood gas sampling, catheterization, or harvesting as graft for coronary bypass (CABG)

Clinical trauma radial artery

Vulnerable to laceration due to superficial position at wrist

injury can cause severe bleeding or ischemia of thumb and lateral hand

Anatomical snuffbox significance

Contains radial artery, cephalic vein, superficial branch of radial nerve

pulse felt here, fractures of scaphoid may damage artery

Deep palmar arch

Formed mainly by radial artery with contribution from deep branch of ulnar artery

supplies metacarpal arteries to digits

Superficial palmar arch

Formed mainly by ulnar artery, completed by superficial branch of radial artery

supplies common digital arteries