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The brachial artery
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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The brachial artery (a. brachialis) is a continuation of the axillary artery. It begins at the level of the lower edge of the pectoralis major muscle and here lies in front of the coracobrachialis muscle. Then the artery is located on the anterior surface of the brachialis muscle, in a groove passing medially to the biceps brachii muscle.
In the cubital fossa, at the level of the neck of the radius, the brachial artery divides into its terminal branches - the radial and ulnar.
A number of branches depart from the brachial artery:
- muscular branches (rr. musculares) go to the muscles of the shoulder;
- The deep artery of the arm (a.profunda brachii) begins from the brachial artery in the upper third of the arm, goes together with the radial nerve in the brachiomuscular canal between the posterior surface of the humerus and the triceps brachii, where it gives off several branches, the arteries that supply the humerus (aa. nutriciae humeri); the deltoid branch (r. deltoideus) to the muscles of the same name and the brachial muscle; the middle collateral artery (a. collateralis media), which gives off branches to the triceps brachii, passes in the posterior lateral cubital groove and anastomoses with the recurrent interosseous artery; the radial collateral artery (a. collateralis radialis), which goes to the anterior lateral cubital groove, where it anastomoses with the recurrent radial artery;
- the superior ulnar collateral artery (a. collateralis ulnaris superior) originates from the brachial artery below the deep artery of the arm. It accompanies the ulnar nerve, passes in the medial posterior ulnar groove, anastomoses with the posterior branch of the ulnar recurrent artery;
- The inferior ulnar collateral artery (a. collateralis ulnaris inferior) originates from the brachial artery just above the medial epicondyle of the humerus, runs medially along the anterior surface of the brachial muscle and anastomoses with the anterior branch of the ulnar recurrent artery. All four collateral arteries participate in the formation of the ulnar articular (arterial) network (rete articulare cubiti), which supplies blood to the elbow joint, adjacent muscles and skin in the area of this joint.
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