150 ELEMENTS OF MAMMALIAN ANATOMY. 



limiKTUs to its distribution in the triceps and deltoid 

 muscles. 



The brachial artery, in addition to several muscular 

 branches, gives origin to the anterior circumflex, superior 

 profunda, the nutrient, and anastomotica magna. The 

 anterior circumflex supplies the biceps and head of the 

 humerus. The superior profunda is distributed to the 

 muscles on the caudal aspect of the humerus. The 

 nutrient artery enters the nutrient foramen of the humerus. 

 The anastomotica magna is the small branch supplying 

 the convexity of the elbow. The brachial artery after 

 passing through the supracondyloid foramen takes the 

 name of radial. 



The radial artery, which lies deep beneath the flexor 

 muscles on the caudal aspect of the proximal half of the 

 radius (Fig. 72), becomes superficial along its distal half, 

 where the vessel is covered by skin and fascia only. In 

 the region of the wrist, it curves dorsad and then pierces 

 between the second and third metacarpals to the palmar 

 side, where it sends branches to each of the digits, and 

 forms the palmar arch by anastomosing with the ulnar 

 artery beneath the flexor muscles. In addition to a few 

 small branches, the radial gives off the following: the 

 radial recurrens, supplying the concavity of the elbow; 

 the ulnar recurrens, supplying the convexity of the elbow; 

 the posterior inter osseous, passing caudad between the 

 radius and the ulna to the extensor muscles; the anterior 

 interosseous, passing along the cephalic side of the inter- 

 osseous membrane; the ulnar, extending beneath the 

 flexor muscles, which it supplies, to the palm, where it 

 anastomoses with the radial to form the palmar arch; 

 and the volar branch, supplying the superficial palmar 

 region. The ulnar and anterior interosseous frequently 

 arise from the same trunk, as shown in the figure. The 



