Overview
The brachial artery is the main artery of the arm, forearm and hand.
Origin
Continues from the axillary artery at the inferior border of teres major.
Course
- Immediately distal to the teres major, the brachial artery gives off the profunda brachii branch
- The brachial artery proper then descends down the ventral surface of the upper arm
- It then enters the cubital fossa, deep to the bicipital aponeurosis
Termination
Terminates as it bifurcates to the form the radial artery and ulnar artery at the level of the radial neck in the cubital fossa of the elbow.
Branches
- Profunda brachii
- First and main branch. It arises above the midpoint of the upper arm on the medial aspect of the brachial artery
- It follows the radial nerve closely, first coursing backward between the long and medial heads of the triceps brachii, then along the groove for the radial nerve where it is covered by the lateral head of the triceps brachii, to the lateral side of the arm
- It branches into the radial collateral and middle collateral artery which anastomoses at the elbow with the radial recurrent artery and recurrent interosseous artery (branch of the common interosseous artery)
- Nutrient vessels to the humerus
- Arises distal to the profunda as the brachial artery slowly courses more medially within the upper arm
- Superior and inferior ulnar collateral arteries
- Forms part of the peri-articular arterial anastomosis of the elbow.
- Arises from the medial aspect of the brachial artery and courses medially towards the elbow
- The superior ulnar collateral artery courses posterior whereas the medial epicondyle whereas the inferior ulnar collateral artery courses anterior
- The superior ulnar collateral artery therefore anastomoses with the posterior ulnar recurrent artery
- The inferior ulnar collateral artery anastomoses with the anterior ulnar recurrent artery
Relations
- Median nerve starts lateral to the brachial artery, then crosses to course medially
- Medial to the biceps brachii
- Lateral to the basilic vein and ulnar nerve
Variants
- Duplicated for all or part of its course (20%)
- Superficial brachial artery – courses anteriorly (rather than posteriorly) to the median nerve
- Accessory brachial artery – duplication that unites before the cubital fossa
- Bifurcation in proximal arm giving rise to a superficial radial artery
- High division of the brachial artery