BRACHIAL ARTERIES

© TANUVAS, 2011
 Brachial arteries
• Left brachial artery is a branch of common
brachiocephalic trunk
• Right brachial artery is a branch of brachiocephalic
artery.

• Left artery - related medially to oesophagus

trachea and thoracic duct.
• Both related below to the vagus, cardiac and
recurrent laryngeal nerves.  
• Each artery leaves the thoracic cavity round the
anterior border 1st rib below scalenus ventralis and
above brachial veins - impression on the rib.

© TANUVAS, 2011
 Route of Brachial Arteries
• Down to axilla, with brachial plexus, included
in the loop by musculocutaneous & median
nerve, across the subscapularis.

• In the axillary part - related to the serratus

thoracis and rectus thoracis, medially.

• Continued as the median artery.

© TANUVAS, 2011
 Intrathoracic branches

1. A common trunk
– Subcostal
– Dorsal
– Deep cervical
– Vertebral arteries.
2. Internal thoracic artery
3. Inferior cervical artery

© TANUVAS, 2011
 Intrathoracic branches

Common trunk

Inferior cervical Left brachial a.

(extrathoracic)
Internal thoracic

© TANUVAS, 2011
 1.Common trunk
(a) subcostal artery

• Arises from the dorsal artery or from the

common trunk.
• Passes upwards and backwards along the
ventral aspect of bodies of thoracic vertebrae
• Gives off the 2nd to 6th intercostal arteries

© TANUVAS, 2011
 (b) Dorsal artery

• Gives off the first intercostal artery

• Passes deeply into the substance of serratus

cervicis
• Supplies splenius, complexus, rhomboideus,
serratus cervicis and trapezius

© TANUVAS, 2011
 (c) Deep cervical artery

• Arises at the level of transverse process

of 7th cervical vertebra
• Passes on the deep face of complexus

• Supplies all muscles of lateral cervical

group, ligamentum nuchae and skin.

© TANUVAS, 2011
 (d) Vertebral artery
• Branch: Superior cervical artery

• Enters Foramen transversarium of 6th cervical vertebra &

passes through canalis transversarius along with its satellite
vein and nerves

• At intervertebral foramen between 2nd & 3rd cervical vertebrae,

detaches a thick muscular branch & enters spinal canal &
divide in the ring of atlas into medial and lateral branches

© TANUVAS, 2011
 Vertebral artery (Contd…)
• Medial br. or cerebrospinal artery joins rete mirabile cerebri

• Larger lateral branch contributes a twig to rete mirabile,

emerges out through intervertebral foramen of atlas and
supplies muscles.
• Vertebral artery gives branches to intertransversales colli
and opposite to each intervertebral foramen a spinal branch
to spinal cord and meninges

© TANUVAS, 2011
 2. Internal thoracic artery
• Arises from ventral face of br. a. opposite to 1st rib

• Passes downwards and backwards within the thoracic cavity

• At each intercostal space it gives off dorsal and ventral branches

• Dorsal branches ascend in the intercostal spaces and

anastomose with intercostal arteries of aorta and supply
intercostal muscles
• Ventral branches - branches to transversus thoracis, pleura,
pericardium and pass out between the costal cartilages as
perforating intercostal arteries and supply pectoral muscles and
skin

© TANUVAS, 2011
 Terminal branches
• Musculophrenic or asternal artery supplies
muscular branches to intercostal muscle,
diaphragm and transversus abdominis

• Anterior abdominal or cranial epigastric artery,

supplies rectus abdominis & anastomoses with
branches of posterior abdominal artery

© TANUVAS, 2011
 3. Inferior cervical artery

Directed downwards and forward.

To the deep face of the brachiocephalicus

between it and the omotransversarius

Supplies brachiocephalicus,
Omotransversarius, Prescapular lymph
glands, Supraspinatus, Sternocephalicus
© TANUVAS, 2011
 Extra thoracic branches of
brachial artery
1. Suprascapular artery
2. External thoracic artery
3.Subscapular artery: Thoracodorsal & Post.
Circumflex a. of humerus & Circum. a. of scapula
4. Anterior circumflex artery of the humerus
5. Deep brachial artery
6. Collateral ulnar artery
7. Collateral radial artery

Continues as Median artery: divides into Radial

and Ulnar arteries
© TANUVAS, 2011
 Thoraco dorsal a.
Subscapular a.

Anterior circumflex a.
Deep brachial a.

Collateral ulnar a. Collateral radial a.

Median a.

Radial a.
Ulnar a.
© TANUVAS, 2011
 1.Brachial artery 10.Collateral radial a.
2.External thoracic 11.Median a.
3.Suprascapular a. 12.Common interosseous a.
4.Subscapular a. 13.Radial a.
5.Posterior circumflex a. 14.Ulnar a.
6.Thoracodorsal a. 15.Muscular branches
7.Anterior circumflex a. 16.Dorsal interosseous a.
8.Deep brachial a.
9.Collateral ulnar a. RCD - Retecarpi dorsale
RCV - Retecarpi volare
DMA - Dorsal metacarpal
SVA - Superficial volar arch
DVA - Deep volar arch
DCD - Dorsal com. digital
MVD - Medial volar digital
VCD - Volar com. digital
LVD - Lateral volar digital

© TANUVAS, 2011
 1. Suprascapular artery

• Arise from upper face of brachial artery

• Ascends and dips in the space between supraspinatus

and subscapularis
• Supply: subscapularis, supraspinatus, brachiocephalicus
and terminal part of deep pectoral muscle

© TANUVAS, 2011
 2. External thoracic artery

• Arises from ventral face of bra. A. at anterior border of

1st rib

• Passes backwards on the deep face of deep pectoral

muscle
• Gives off a number of branches to pectoral muscles,
axillary lymph gland, panniculus and skin

© TANUVAS, 2011
 3. Subscapular artery
• Very large vessel from posterior face of br. A.

• Ascends between subscapularis and teres major to

posterior border of scapula
• Rounds the post. angle of scapula and terminates in
infraspinatus and deltoideus
• Supply: teres major, subscapularis, long head of
triceps, infraspinatus and deltoideus

© TANUVAS, 2011
 3. Subscapular artery

Collateral branches

(a)Thoracodorsal artery – latissimus dorsi

(b)Posterior circumflex artery of humerus –

with axillary n. to supply deltoideus, teres
minor

(c) Circumflex artery of scapula - subscapularis

© TANUVAS, 2011
 4. Anterior circumflex artery of
humerus

• Arises from anterior face of brachial artery

• Passes along with musculocutaneous n.

• Supply: biceps brachii and coracobrachialis

© TANUVAS, 2011
 5. Deep brachial artery

• Arises from posterior face of brachial artery about the

middle of humerus
• Passes between medial and long head of triceps
brachii
• Supply: these and tensor fasciae antibrachi

© TANUVAS, 2011
 6. Collateral ulnar artery

• Arises from posterior face of brachial a.

• Divides into ascending and descending

branches to supply long head of triceps,
anconeus, flexor carpi ulnaris and
superficial digital flexor

© TANUVAS, 2011
 7. Collateral radial artery

• Divides into superficial and deep

branches
• Superficial branch is a cutaneous vessel

• Deep branch supplies all the extensors

and ulnaris lateralis

© TANUVAS, 2011
 Median artery

• Continuation of brachial artery below the

level of medial condyle of humerus

• Divides into Radial and Ulnar arteries

© TANUVAS, 2011
 Median artery (contd…)

• Collateral Branches

– 1. A long muscular branch to pronator teres,

flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris,
superficial and deep flexor of the digit
– 2. Common interosseous artery – upper part
of forearm – prox. interosseous space –
dorsal interosseous artery
© TANUVAS, 2011
 Dorsal interosseous artery
Passes in the groove between the radius and
ulna - lateral face of the forearm under the
periosteum.

At distal interosseous space detaches a branch,

continues to form rete carpi dorsale.
The branch passes through the distal
interosseous space gains the volar face of the
forearm gives branches to the rete capi volare
and is continued down as the lateral deep
volar metacarpal artery.

© TANUVAS, 2011
 Terminal brs. of median artery

1. Radial artery – smaller – under fl. carpi rad.

• Medial deep volar metacarpal artery, middle deep
volar metacarpal artery
• Rete carpi dorsale & Volare

2. Ulnar artery – larger – under fl. Carpi rad.

continued as volar common digital artery, superficial
volar arch, volar proper digital arteries

© TANUVAS, 2011
 Dorsal metacarpal artery

• Very small vessel or absent

• Arises from rete carpi dorsale

• Passes down the dorsal metacarpal groove

• Divides into dorsal proper digital arteries

© TANUVAS, 2011