Unilateral higher division of brachial artery

Abstract

Arterial variations are common in upper extremity. The present article describes a case of higher division of brachial artery. Higher division of brachial artery occurred above the level of insertion of coracobrachialis muscle. Further, the brachial artery proper continues lateral to median nerve in the cubital fossa and divides into radial and ulnar artery at the level of neck of radius. Higher division of brachial artery continues downward and medially, medial to the median nerve in cubital fossa, forming the superficial palmar arch in the palm. Knowledge of such variation is extremely important, especially for the limb surgeons (for carrying out surgeries in arm, creating arteriovenous fistulas for dialysis), routine blood pressure measurements, radiographic imaging, and interventionists. The relevant topics of embryology, anatomy, and its clinical importance have been discussed in the literature review. The purpose of this article is to highlight the need for the awareness of the potential existence of such anatomical variation and how it can be preoperatively detected by color Doppler imaging, which would help the surgeons and clinicians to plan out surgery and therapeutic interventions.