ARTERIES OF THE ARM. *729 



of the posterior circumflex, and passes outward in front of 

 the humerus, beneath the biceps, coraco-brachialis and 

 deltoid, supplying these muscles, and sending a branch 

 along the bicipital groove to the shoulder joint. 



The posterior circumflex artery arises below the last, and 

 is a larger branch. It goes round the neck of the humerus, 

 between the latter and the long head of the triceps, to 

 supply the shoulder joint and deltoid muscle. Sometimes 

 it is a branch of the superior profunda. 



ARTERIES OF THE ARM. 



BRACHIAL ARTERY, (Fig. 234.) 



The brachial artery is the continued trunk of the axillary, 

 and extends from the lower margin of the tendinous inser- 

 tions of the latissimus dorsi and teres major muscles, to a 

 little below the bend of the elbow joint, where it divides 

 into the radial and ulnar arteries. 



Its course is along the inner edge of the coraco-brachialis 

 and biceps muscles, resting upon the coraco-brachialis and 

 brachialis anticus. It has the basilic vein in front, and 

 the venae comites on either side. The median nerve is also 

 in front, though at the upper part it lies to the outside of 

 the artery, and below to the inner side. It is covered by 

 the fascia of the arm, and at the bend of the elbow by the 

 bicipital aponeurosis and median basilic vein. 



BRANCHES OF THE BRACHIAL ARTERY. 



The profunda superior or spiralis comes from the brachial 

 just below the teres-major, winds round the back part of 

 the humerus along with the musculo-spiral nerve, between 

 the second and third heads of the triceps, to the external 

 condyle, where it anastomoses with the radial recurrent, 

 and sends a descending branch along the triceps to the 

 olecranon. 



The nutritious artery comes from the brachial about the 

 middle of the arm, and enters the medullary foramen of 

 the humerus to supply its lining membrane. 



