

292 BRACHIAL ARTERY BRANCHES. 



The branches of the brachial artery are, the 



Superior profunda, 

 Inferior profunda, 

 Anastomotica magna, 

 Muscular. 



The Superior profunda arises opposite the lower border of the 

 latissimus dorsi, and winds around the humerus, between the 

 triceps and the bone, in the space between the brachialis anticus 

 and supinator longus, where it inosculates with the radial recurrent 

 branch. It accompanies the musculo-spiral nerve. In its course 

 it gives off the posterior articular artery, which descends to the 

 elbow-joint, and a more superficial branch which inosculates with 

 the interosseous articular artery. 



The Inferior profunda arises from about the middle of the brachial 

 artery, and descends to the space between the inner condyle and 

 olecranon in company with the ulnar nerve, where it inosculates 

 with the posterior ulnar recurrent. 



The Anastomotica magna is given off nearly at right angles from 

 the brachial, at about two inches above the joint. It passes directly 

 inwards, and divides into two branches which inosculate with the 

 anterior and posterior ulnar recurrent arteries and with the inferior 

 profunda. 



The Muscular branches are distributed to the muscles in the course 

 of the artery, viz. to the coraco-brachialis, biceps, deltoid, brachialis 

 anticus and triceps. 



Varieties of the Brachial Artery. The most frequent peculiarity 

 in the distribution of branches from this artery is the high divi- 

 sion of the radial, which arises generally from about the upper 

 third of the brachial artery and descends to its normal position 

 at the bend of the elbow. The ulnar artery sometimes arises 

 from the brachial at about two inches above the elbow, and pursues 

 either a superficial or deep course to the wrist ; and in more than 

 one instance I have seen the interosseous artery arise from the bra- 

 chial a little above the bend of the elbow. The two profunda arte- 

 ries occasionally arise by a common trunk, or there may be two 

 superior profundae. 



RADIAL ARTERY. 



The Radial artery, one of the divisions of the brachial, appears 

 from its direction to be the continuation of that trunk. It runs along 

 the radial side of the fore-arm, from the bend of the elbow to the 

 wrist; it there turns round the base of the thumb, beneath its 

 extensor tendons, and passes between the two heads of the first 

 dorsal interosseous muscle, into the palm of the hand. It then 

 crosses the metacarpal bones to the ulnar side of the hand, forming 

 the deep palmar arch, and terminates by inosculating with the super- 

 ficial palmar arch. 



