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Note: This study sheet is designed to breakdown the pathways of the nerves and arteries
Axillary Artery
Artery Branch Supplies Other stuf
Supreme Thoracic st nd
1 &2 intercostal space/superior --
part of seratus anterior.
Thoraco-acromial -- Divides into: acromial, deltoid,
pectoral, clavicular artery
Lateral Thoracic Pectoral muscles/axillary lymph Larger in women-supplies the
nodes. lateral part of mammary gland.
Subscapular Circumflex Scapular: Dorsum of Largest branch of Axillary.
Scapula.
Thoracodorsal: Latissmus Dorsi.
Anterior Circumflex Ascending branch supplies Passes around the surgical neck of
Humeral shoulder. humerus/Anastomoses with PCH
Posterior Circumflex Deltoid/Triceps brachii. Passes around the surgical neck of
Humeral humerus/Anastomoses with ACH.
(Through Quadrangular Space)
Collateral Circulation
Important when the axillary artery is ligated anywhere between the thryocervical trunk and the
subscapular artery.
The important concept here is the fact that blood flow will reverse in the subscapular and scapular
circumflex branches to reach the brachial artery in the arm.
The axillary artery ends at the inferior border of the teres major muscle, where it passes into the arm and
becomes the brachial a.
Brachial Artery
The main artery that provides the principal arterial supply to the arm. (Anterior Compartment of Arm)
First lies medial, then anterior to the humerus.
Anterior to the triceps and brachialis muscle.
Overlapped by the coracobrachialis and biceps muscles.
Passes inferiorly and slightly laterally starting to accompany the median nerve, which crosses anterior
to the artery in the middle of the arm.
In the cubital fossa, the bicipital aponeurosis covers and protects the median nerve and the brachial
artery.
Branches:
-Profunda brachii artery (supplies the posterior compartment of the arm), largest branch.
Clinical Correlate:
-Laceration of brachial artery results in paralysis due to ischemia of flexor pollicis longus and flexor
digitorum profundus. Can tear when elbow is fractured.
-For those of you who forgot, this is the artery that the blood pressure is measured from.
The brachial artery divides at the distal end of the cubital fossa into the Ulnar Artery and Radial Artery.
Radial Artery
A terminal branch of brachial artery.
Supplies lateral part of forearm in both the extensor and flexor compartments (basically the posterior
compartment of forearm).
Continues on the lateral side of the forearm to the hand to be the primary blood supply.
Pulse rate!
Crosses the floor of the anatomical snuf box.
Ends by completing the deep palmar arterial arch in conjunction with the ulnar artery.
Deep Palmer Arch
-Continuation of radial artery.
-Deep to long flexor tendons in central compartment.
-Arch completed by deep branch of ulnar artery. (Note the anatomical description here!-branch vs.
arch).
-Supplies lateral side of digit 2 and the thumb (via princeps pollicis artery).
Ulnar Artery
Begins near the neck of the radius
Supplies the posterior compartment of forearm.
Passes deep to pronator muscle, and then passes between the ulnar and radial heads of the flexor
digitorum superficialis. Ending on the flexor digitorum profundus.
Common Interosseous Artery
-Immediately branches into anterior and posterior.
-Anterior Interosseous Artery
-Passes distally on the interosseous membrane to join carpal arch.
-Posterior Interosseous Artery
-Passes just proximal to the interosseous membrane to supply adjacent muscles.
Superficial Palmer Arch
-Continuation of ulnar artery.
-Arch completed by the superficial palmer branch of the radial artery.
-Supplies the medial side of digit 2 via digital arteries.
-Supplies the medial and lateral sides of digits 3-5.
Ulnar Nerve
Continuation of medial cord of brachial plexus.
Passes distally, anterior to the triceps on the medial side of the brachial artery.
Around the middle of the arm it pierces the medial intermuscular septum and descends between it and
the medial head of the triceps muscle.
Passes between the medial epicondyle of the humerus and the olecranon to enter the forearm. (You
may think that’s funny-I don’t!)
Runs on the medial side of the forearm to the hand.
Supplies Flexor carpi ulnaris and ulnar half of flexor digitorum profundus(basically some of the posterior
compartment of forearm).
Damage:
-Impaired flexion and adduction of wrist
-Impaired movement of the 1st, 4th, and 5th digits-resulting in poor grasp. (CLAW HAND)
-Inability to abduct or adduct medial four digits due to loss of interosseous muscles.
-Loss of sensation to 5th and ½ of 4th digit on palm side.
-Loss of sensation to 5th, 4th(minus the tip), 3rd(minus the tip).
Musculocutaneous Nerve
Continuation of lateral cord of brachial plexus.
Begins opposite the inferior border of the pectoralis minor muscle.
Pierces the coracobrachialis muscle and then continues distally between the biceps and brachialis
muscles.
At the lateral border of the tendon of the biceps it becomes the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve.
Supplies coracobrachialis, biceps, and brachialis muscles (Basically anterior compartment of arm).
Damage:
-Flexion of elbow joint and supination of forearm weakened.
-Loss of sensation on the lateral surface of the forearm by way of lateral antebrachial cutaneous
nerve.
Radial Nerve
Continuation of posterior cord of brachial plexus.
Largest branch of brachial plexus.
Supplies the posterior compartment of arm.
Enters the arm posterior to the brachial artery, medial to the humerus, anterior to the long head of the
triceps muscle.
Passes inferolaterally with the profunda brachii artery around the body of the humerus in the radial
groove.
Then pierces the intermuscular septum and continues inferiorly between the brachialis and
brachioradialis to the lateral epicondyle of humerus where it divides.
Divides into deep(muscular) and superficial(sensory) branches at the lateral epicondyle of the of the
humerus.
Deep turns into the posterior interosseous nerve to supply the posterior compartment of forearm.
Basically, supplies the posterior compartment of forearm.
Damage:
-Deep branch damage results in paralysis of (posterior compartment) triceps, brachioradialis,
supinator, extensors of wrist and digits. (Hard to grasp stuf).
-Superficial branch damage results in loss of sensation on posterior hand on first 2 ½ digits (minus
the tips). In addition, lateral posterior of arm and forearm by way of posterior brachial cutaneous
and posterior antebrachial cutaneous, respectively.
-Wrist Drop:
-Clinical sign of radial nerve injury usually in the radial groove. (i.e., humerus
fracture/shoulder joint dislocation).
-Wrist drop occurs because the triceps is not completely paralyzed.
-“Saturday Night Palsy”-for those of you that pass out after med-school parties and
compress your radial nerve (presents as wrist drop).
Axillary Nerve
Through quadrangular space.
Winds around surgical neck of humerus.
Supplies the teres minor and deltoid muscles.
Damage:
-Pressure from crutch, forward dislocation of shoulder joint, or humerus fracture.
-Teres minor and deltoid weakend, shoulder numbness and lateral side of proximal arm present.
-Impaired abduction of arm (only supraspinatus works).
-Deltoid atrophies rapidly.