

THE BRACHIAL ARTERY 



1. The arteria profunda brachii (superior profunda artery) is a large vessel which 

 arises from the medial and back part of the brachial, just below the lower border 

 of the Teres major. It follows closely the radial nerve, running at first backward 

 between the medial and lateral 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; there it pierces the lateral intermuscular septum, 

 and, descending between the Brachioradialis and the Brachialis to the front of 

 the lateral epicondyle of the humerus, ends by anastomosing w r ith the radial recur- 

 rent artery. It gives branches to the Deltoideus and to the muscles between which 

 it lies; it supplies an occasional nutrient artery which enters the humerus behind the 

 deltoid tuberosity. A branch ascends between the long and lateral heads of the 

 Triceps brachii to anastomose w r ith the posterior humeral circumflex artery; a 

 middle collateral branch descends in the middle head of the Triceps brachii and 

 assists in forming the anastomosis above the olecranon; and, lastly, a radial collateral 

 branch runs down behind the lateral intermuscular septum to the back of the lateral 

 epicondyle of the humerus, where it anastomoses with the interosseous recurrent 

 and the inferior ulnar collateral arteries. 



2. The nutrient artery (a. nutricia humeri) of the body of the humerus arises 

 about the middle of the arm and enters the nutrient canal near the insertion of the 

 Coracobrachialis. 



A. profunda brachii 



Sup. ulnar collateral 

 - Brachial 



Anterior branch of profunda 



^Radial collateral branch 

 of profunda 



Radial recurrent 



Interosseous recurrent 

 Radial 



Inf. ulnar collateral 



Anterior ulnar recurrent 



Posterior ulnar recurrent 



Interosseous 

 Dorsal interosseous 



Ulnar 



Volar interosseous 



FIG. 526. Diagram of the anastomosis around the elbow-joint. 



3. The superior ulnar collateral artery (a. collateralis ulnans superior; inferior 

 profunda artery), of small size, arises from the brachial a little below the middle 

 of the arm; it frequently springs from the upper part of the a. profunda brachii. 

 It pierces the medial intermuscular septum, and descends on the surface of the medial 

 head of the Triceps brachii to the space between the medial epicondyle and 





