Accomplishments
Study of division of brachial artery in 100 cadavers
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Materials & Methods: The study on division of brachial artery was performed on 100 (200 specimens of superior extremities) embalmed donated cadavers (90 males & 10 females) in the department of Anatomy of K.J.Somaiya Medical College, Sion, Mumbai, India. The dissection of the arm was done meticulously to expose the brachial artery. The termination of brachial artery was observed. The neuro muscular pattern of the upper limb were also observed. The photographs of the high level termination of the brachial artery were taken for proper documentation. Observations: Out of 200 specimens of superior extremities the high level termination of brachial artery was observed in 54 specimens. The brachial artery bifurcated in the axilla in 6 specimens. The brachial artery bifurcated in the upper part of the arm in 12 specimens, in the middle part of the arm in 8 specimens and the brachial artery bifurcated above the cubital fossa in the lower part of the arm in 22 specimens. The brachial artery trifurcated in 6 specimens. The radial artery gave origin to the common interosseous artery in the cubital fossa which terminated into anterior and posterior interosseous arteries. The further course of the radial artery was normal. The variant ulnar artery travelled downwards and crossed the median nerve anteriorly in the cubital fossa and travelled obliquely superficial to the superficial flexor muscles till it reached the ulnar nerve. The further course of the ulnar artery was normal. There were no associated altered anatomy of the nerves and muscles were observed. All the variations were unilateral. Conclusion: Topographical anatomy of the normal and abnormal variations of the brachial artery are clinically important for surgeons, orthopaedicians operating on the supracondylar fracture of humerus and radiologists performing angiographic studies on the upper limb.