274 THE RADIAL ARTERY. 



There are very often several anastomoses between the 

 branches of the Humeral artery which originate above the 

 elbow, and certain branches of the Radial and Ulnar arteries 

 which are called, from their direction, recurrents. Among these 

 arteries there is generally one of considerable size, which proceeds 

 across the elbow joint near the internal condyle. Sometimes 

 this is the ulnar recurrent, which goes up to anastomose with the 

 branches of the profunda ; but*more frequently it is a separate 

 branch of the Humeral artery which goes off a little above the 

 elbow, and passes across the articulation, near the internal con- 

 dyle, to anastomose with the branches of the ulnar artery. This 

 artery is denominated the Anastomotica. 



There are often other branches sent off by the Humeral 

 artery ; but they are commonly small, and very irregular. 



The two great ramifications^ of the Humeral artery on the 

 fore-arm have very different directions. The Radial artery 

 preserving the course of the main trunk while the Common 

 Trunk of the Ulnar and Interosseal projects from it in a 

 direction downwards and towards the ulna, passing under the 

 pronator teres, &c. 



The Radial Artery, 



Passing over the pronator teres muscle, proceeds between 

 the supinator radii longus and the flexor carpi radialis, very near 

 to the lower end of the radius, without changing its direction 

 materially, being deep-seated above and superficial below ; it 

 then alters its course, and, passing under the tendons of the 

 extensors of the thumb, to the back part of the radius, it con- 

 tinues between the metacarpal bones of the thumb, and of the 

 index finger, when it divides into three branches. 



In this course, it gives off but few branches. The first is the 

 Radical Recurrent, which passes upwards and towards the 

 external condyle, but frequently anastomoses with the ramifica- 

 tions of the profunda humeri. 



The branches which it sends off between the origin of the 

 recurrent and the lower end of the radius, are generally very 

 small, and distributed to the parts immediately contiguous to 



