Study of Variations in the Course of Brachial Artery: A Cadaveric Study

Abstract

Background: Brachial artery begins as a continuation of axillary artery at the distal border of teres major, runs downward at first medial to the humerus and then inclines to lie in front of the bone until it appears in the cubital fossa, where it ends at the level of the neck of radius by dividing into radial and ulnar arteries. Objectives: To know the variations in the course of brachial artery. Methods: Dissection was done on 40 upper limbs from embalmed adult human cadavers in the Department of Anatomy, Kamineni Institute of Medical Sciences, Narketpally. Dissection of Brachial artery was carried out according to Cunningham’s manual of practical anatomy. Results: In all 40 specimens (100%), the brachial artery begins at the inferior border of the teres major muscle as the continuation of the axillary artery. In 37 specimens (92.5%), single brachial artery (BA) was present in the arm. It runs inferiorly on the medial side of the biceps brachii muscle to the cubital fossa. It divides into the radial artery (RA) and ulnar artery (UA) opposite the neck of radius at elbow. In 3 specimens (7.5%), doubling of the brachial artery in its course was observed. In these specimens, the brachial artery was divided into two divisions in the arm. Both divisions runs inferiorly on the medial side of the biceps brachii muscle to the cubital fossa. In these two divisions, one lies superficial to the median nerve and was called the superficial brachial artery (SBA) and other division continues as the brachial artery proper (BAP). In all these 3 specimens (7.5%), the superficial brachial artery (SBA) continued as the radial artery (RA) and brachial artery proper (BAP) continued as the ulnar artery (UA) in the cubital fossa. Interpretation and Conclusion: The present study is important for Surgeons, Orthopedicians, Vascular surgeons, Clinicians and Anatomists as it provides the knowledge of variations in the course of brachial artery in the arm and cubital fossa. KEY WORDS: Brachial artery, Superficial brachial artery, Cubital fossa. Radial artery.