Fore limb – Blood supply

• Brachial artery and its branches

•Right and left brachial arteries
 Left ventricle

Aorta

Cranial aorta Caudal aorta

CBCT BCT

Right brachial
artery

Left brachial
artery
1.SUPRASCAPULAR
ARTERY
• It is a small and
flexous vessel arising
from the upper face
of the brachial
artery.
• It ascends and dips
in the space between
the supraspinatus
and subscapularis in
company with its
satellite vein and
suprascapular nerve
•Divides to supply
the subscapularis,
supraspinatus,
branchiocephalicus
and the terminal part
of deep pectoral
muscle
2.EXTERNAL
THORACIC ARTERY
• It is a large
vessel arising from
the ventral face of
the brachial artery.
• It passes
backwards on the
deep face of the
deep pectoral
muscle.
•It gives off a
number of branches
to the pectoral
muscles, axillary
lymph gland,
panniculus and skin.
3. SUBSCAPULAR ARTERY
• It is a very large vessel as
large as the brachial artery.
• It arises from its posterior
face at the posterior border
of the subscapularis muscle.
• It ascends in the space
between the subscapularis
and teres major, turns around
the posterior border of the
scapula below the dorsal
angle and terminates in the
infraspinatus and deltoideus.
• It supplies in its course
branches to the teres major,
subscapularis, infraspinatus
and deltoideus
• It gives off certain named
collateral branches as follows:
3. SUBSCAPULAR
ARTERY
(a) The thoraco - dorsal
artery is given off from
the posterior face of
the subscapular a.
It crosses the teres
major, runs upwards
and backwards on the
latissimus dorsi and is
distributed to it.
3. SUBSCAPULAR ARTERY
(b) Posterior circumflex
artery of the humerus
arises from the
subscapular artery from
its anterior face, passes
outwards behind the
shoulder joint in
company with the
axillary nerve and
ramifies on the deep
face of the deltoideus.
It supplies to the
deltoideus and teres
minor
3. SUBSCAPULAR ARTERY
(c) Circumflex a. of the scapula arises from the anterior border of the subscapular a. above
the shoulder joint
• It divides into medial and lateral branches to supply subscapularis and infraspinatus
 4. ANTERIOR
CIRCUMFLEX ARTERY
OF THE HUMERUS
• This branch arises
from the anterior
face of the
brachial artery at
the anterior
border of teres
major, gains the
space between
the two parts of
coracobrachialis
in company with
the musculo
cutaneous n. and
finally terminates
in the biceps.
• It supplies these
two muscles.
5. DEEP BRACHIAL ARTERY
• It is a small vessel arising from the posterior face of the brachial artery about the middle
of the humerus.
• It passes backwards and supplies all the three heads of Triceps brachii and tensor faciae
antibrachii
6. COLLATERAL RADIAL ARTERY
• It is a large vessel which arises from the lateral
face of the brachial artery at its lower-most
part, and divides into superficial and deep
branches.
• Superficial branch continues as as a cutaneous
vessel
• Deep branch supplies all the extensors and the
ulnaris lateralis.
7. COLLATERAL ULNAR ARTERY
• This branch arises from the posterior face of the brachial artery and is small.
• It divides into branches to supply caput longum, anconeus, flexor carpi ulnaris & superficial
flexor of the digit.
8. MEDIAN ARTERY
• Is the continuation of the brachial artery below the level of
the medial condyle of the humerus.
• It runs down the radius and divides at lower part of forearm
terminates by dividing into radial and ulnar arteries.
• Collateral Branches
1. A long muscular branch which divides to supply the flexor
mucles.
2. Common Interosseous Artery
• It is a large branch which arises from the median artery in the
upper third of the forearm.
• It passes outwards through the proximal interosseous space.
Before it enters the proximal interosseous space, it gives
branches to the extensors and flexors.
3. Then, the Common IA continues as dorsal interosseous artery
runs down the radio-ulnar groove between on the lateral
face of the forearm under the periosteum.
– It reaches the level of the distal interosseous space detaches a
branch which enters this space continues its downward course
and concurs in the formation of the rete carpi dorsale and rete
capi volare and
– is continued down as lateral volar digital artery on the lateral
digit.
9. RADIAL ARTERY
• Smaller of the two terminal br. of
median a.
• Descends down on the postero-
medial border of raidus under the
flexors and continued as deep
metacarpal a.
• During its course, it gives off the
following collateral br.
i. At the carpus: gives br. To formation of
rete carpi volare and rete carpi
dorsale along with dorsal
interosseous a.
ii. Dorsal metacarpal a. – runs in the
vascular groove
iii. Superficial and deep metacarpal a.
iv. Continued down as Medial Volar
Digital artery
10. ULNAR ARTERY
• Larger of the two terminal
br. of median a.
• Descends down the
forearm under the flexors
and continued down over
the metacarpus and digits.
• It terminates by giving off:
i. Lateral Volar Digital
artery
ii. Common Volar Digital
artery