Brachial Artery and Superficial Brachial Artery

34 Brachial Artery and Superficial Brachial Artery

B. Meyer, L. Sonnow

The superficial brachial artery is the name of a major artery which is superficial to the median nerve on the upper arm. Such an artery can replace the normal brachial artery or occur in addition to it. When calculating the frequency, only arteries were included which reach the forearm, not minor branches such as those to the biceps muscle. The superficial brachial artery normally branches from the proximal part of the upper arm and only rarely from the distal half.¹^–¹³

The practical importance of this artery is that it often runs to the forearm in front of the aponeurosis of the biceps muscle and can be mistaken for a vein. An “intravenous” injection in such an artery can result in the loss of the hand or forearm. One should keep in mind that every fifth patient has a superficial artery in the cubital fossa which could be mistaken for a vein.¹⁴^–¹⁶

34.1 Only a Brachial Artery (78%)

Fig. 34.1 “Normal” situation as shown in textbooks; the artery is positioned behind the median nerve, crossing beneath it at the upper arm (75%). Schematic (a) and unsubtracted DSA (b). 1 brachial artery.

Fig. 34.2 There is no typical median nerve in the axilla; the artery crosses below the nerve as usual (3%). Schematic.

34.2 Only a Superficial Brachial Artery (9%)

Fig. 34.3 Main artery in front of the two roots of the median nerve (2%). Schematic.

Fig. 34.4 Main artery behind the two roots of the median nerve, but crossing below it at the upper arm (5%). Schematic.

Fig. 34.5 The artery crosses beneath the median nerve on the posterior side, but over the nerve branch between the musculocutaneous and median nerve (1%). Schematic.

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