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Case Reports
. 2013 Apr;3(2):265-7.
doi: 10.4103/2141-9248.113674.

Unusual branching pattern of axillary artery associated with the high origin of ulnar artery

Rs Swamy  1 , Mkg Rao, N Kumar, S Sirasanagandla, Vm Nelluri
Affiliations
Case Reports

Unusual branching pattern of axillary artery associated with the high origin of ulnar artery

Rs Swamy et al. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2013 Apr.

Abstract

Axillary artery is a continuation of subclavian artery, extending from the outer border of first rib to the lower border of teres major muscle. During routine dissection for the undergraduate medical students, a rare variations was seen in an approximately 55-year-old male cadaver. This case showed a variation in branching pattern of right axillary and subscapular arteries. The subscapular artery originated from 2(nd) part of axillary artery, gave origin to posterior circumflex humeral and lateral thoracic arteries in addition to its normal branches. The ulnar artery originated from the 3(rd) part of the axillary artery, just above the lower border of teres major muscle. The variant ulnar artery passed deep to the median cubital vein, bicipital aponeurosis, and tendon of palmaris longus muscle. Then, it passed superficial to flexor digitorum superficialis muscle and flexor retinaculum to enter the palm. In the palm, it formed the superficial palmar arch. This variant ulnar artery was much smaller in caliber than the radial artery.

Keywords: Axillary artery; Palmar arches; Subscapular artery; Ulnar artery; Variations.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Dissection of right axilla showing subscapular artery giving origin to posterior circumflex humeral artery, lateral thoracic artery, circumflex scapular artery and thoracodorsal artery. Variant ulnar artery, thoracoacromial artery, superior thoracic artery originating from axillary artery can also be seen
Figure 2
Figure 2
Dissection of right upper limb showing variant ulnar artery passing deep to bicipital aponeurosis and palmaris longus muscle. Superficial palmar arch, radial artery, superficial branch of radial artery can be seen
Figure 3
Figure 3
Dissection of cubital fossa showing the brachial artery dividing into radial artery and common interosseous artery. Pronator teres muscle has been reflected. Absence of normal ulnar artery originating from brachial artery can be noted. Radial recurrent artery, arteria nervei mediana, anterior interosseous artery, median nerve can also be seen
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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