436 



THE ARTERIES OF THE UPPER LIMB. 



BRACHIAL ARTERY (II). 



The brachial or humeral artery, the continuation of the axillary, extends from 

 the lower border of the teres major muscle to about a finger's breadth below the 

 bend of the elbow, or to a point opposite the inner border of the neck of the radius, 

 where it divides into the radial and ulnar arteries. The artery gradually inclines 

 from the inner side to the fore part of the limb, lying in the depression along the 

 inner border of the coraco-brachialis and biceps muscles ; and a line drawn on the 

 surface of the arm along this hollow will indicate the course of the vessel. To 

 command the flow of blood through the artery at its upper part pressure should be 

 directed outwards, while over the lower end of the vessel the pressure should be 

 made from before backwards. 



The brachial artery lies beneath the integument and fascia of the arm as far as 

 the bend of the elbow, where it sinks deeply in the interval between the pronator 

 teres and supinator longus muscles, and is covered by the semilunar fascia of the 



Fig. 357. DISSECTION OF THE AXILLA AND INNER SIDE OF THE ARM, TO SHOW THE AXILLARY 



AND BRACHIAL VESSELS. (R. Quain.) | 



Portions of the pectoral muscles have been removed so as to expose the axillary vessels : a, insertion, 

 and 6, origin of the pectoralis major ; 1, 1, axillary artery ; 1', placed on a part of the sheath of the 

 brachial vessels, and 1", on the lower part of the biceps muscle, point to the brachial artery embraced 

 by its venae comites ; 2, 2, axillary vein ; 3, 3, basilic vein ; the upper figure is placed on the triceps 

 muscle, the lower on the fascia near the junction of the ulnar veins ; on the basilic vein is the internal 

 cutaneous nerve ; +, +, median nerve ; 4, on the deltoid, and 4', near the clavicular part of the great 

 pectoral muscle, mark the cephalic vein joining the axillary vein ; 5, 5, on the divided portions of the 

 pectoralis minor, point to the origin and branches of the acromio-thoracic artery ; 6, on a group of 

 axillary glands, indicates the alar thoracic and subscapular vessels ; 7, on the trunk of the axillary 

 vein, points to one of the brachial venae comites, which, being joined by the other higher up, passes 

 into the axillary vein ; the ulnar nerve is seen passing behind the basilic vein towards the inner 

 coudyle ; near 1, on the coraco-brachialis, is the musculo-cutaneous nerve before it passes through that 

 muscle ; near 2, on the tendon of the latissimus dorsi, a portion of the nerve of Wrisberg. 



biceps. It rests at first, for a short distance, on the long head of the triceps, the 

 musculo-spiral nerve and the superior profunda artery intervening, and then on the 

 inner head of the same muscle ; at the middle of the arm it crosses the insertion of 

 the coraco-brachialis muscle ; and in the rest of its course it lies on the brachialis 

 anticus. On its outer side it is in apposition first with the coraco-brachialis, and 



