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Brachial artery
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The brachial artery (a. Brachialis) is a continuation of the axillary artery. It starts at the level of the lower edge of the large pectoral muscle and lies here in front of the beak-brachial muscle. Then the artery is located on the anterior surface of the shoulder muscle, in the furrow that passes medially biceps muscle of the shoulder.
In the ulnar fossa, at the level of the neck of the radius, the brachial artery divides into its terminal branches, the radial and the ulnar.
A number of branches leave the brachial artery:
- Muscle branches (rr. Musculares) go to the muscles of the shoulder;
- the deep artery of the shoulder (a.profunda brachii) starts from the brachial artery in the upper third of the shoulder, goes along with the radial nerve in the shoulder cannula between the posterior surface of the humerus and the triceps brachii muscle, where it gives off several branches, arteries feeding the humerus (aa. Nutriciae humeri); deltoid branch (g. Deltoideus) to the eponymous and humeral muscles; the middle collateral artery (a.collateralis media), which gives the branches to the triceps brachii muscle, passes in the posterior lateral ulnar fissure and anastomizes with the recurrent interosseous artery; radial collateral artery (a collateralis radialis), which is directed to the anterior lateral ulnar fissure, where it is anastomosed with the return radial artery;
- the superior ulnar collateral artery (a. Collateralis ulnaris superior) starts from the brachial artery below the deep artery of the shoulder. It accompanies the ulnar nerve, passes in the medial posterior ulnar fissure, anastomoses with the posterior branch of the ulnar recurrent artery;
- the inferior ulnar collateral artery (a. Collateralis ulnaris inferior) starts from the brachial artery slightly above the medial epicondyle of the humerus, is directed 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 elbow arterial network, (rete articulare cubiti), from which the elbow joint, adjacent muscles and skin are located in the area of this joint.
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