Rare case of high origin of the ulnar artery from the brachial artery.

Abstract

Arterial variations in the arm are numerous and occur at the level of the axillary, brachial, radial, and ulnar arteries as well as in the palmar arches. We report on a high branching site of the ulnar artery. A high branching brachial artery was found in a 72-year-old white female during a dissection course. The brachial region was then dissected carefully and the preparation steps were documented. The axillary artery, after entering the arm, was located posterior to the junction of the two roots of the median nerve, just 2 cm distal to the latter, and divided into the ulnar and the radial arteries. The radial artery was located medial to the median nerve in the arm and approached the lateral side of the arm to reach the cubital fossa. Just distal to its origin, the ulnar artery ran laterally crossing ventral to the median nerve, thereafter supplying the biceps brachii muscle with three branches from a common stem. The ulnar artery then approached the medial side of the arm, crossed ventral to the median nerve again and took its course toward the cubital fossa as usual. This high bifurcation of the brachial artery and the abnormal course of the ulnar artery is of interest to clinicians; in particular vascular and plastic surgeons and radiologists.