The arterial blood supply to the arm is via the subclavian artery, which arises from the aorta or brachiocephalic trunk. After passing through the posterior scalene gap, it continues as the axillary artery. The axillary artery supplies the shoulder girdle and then becomes the brachial artery, which supplies the upper arm. At the cubital fossa, the brachial artery divides into the radial and ulnar arteries, which run along the forearm to the hand. The arteries are accompanied by homonymous veins.
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Upper limb blood supply
![Upper limb blood supply]()
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Subclavian artery
Important branches Important anastomoses Distribution Suprascapular artery
Transverse cervical artery → dorsal scapular artery
o Scapular anastomosis between suprascapular artery and circumflex scapular artery (branch of axillary artery)
o Acromial rete
o Shoulder
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Axillary artery
Course Branches Important anastomoses Distribution o In the axilla it runs lateral to the axillary vein
o Anastomoses with the subclavian artery
o Distal to the axilla it becomes the brachial artery
o Superior thoracic artery
o Thoracoacromial artery → pectoral branch, acromial branch, clavicular branch, and deltoid branch
o Lateral thoracic artery
o Subscapular artery → thoracodorsal artery and circumflex scapular artery
o Anterior circumflex humeral artery
o Posterior circumflex humeral artery
o Acromial rete: between thoracoacromial artery and suprascapular artery (branch of subclavian artery)
o Scapular anastomosis
o Vascular rete around the surgical neck of the humerus (between the anterior and posterior circumflex humeral arteries)
o Shoulder
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Brachial artery
Course Branches Important anastomoses Distribution o Courses distad in medial bicipital groove
o Deep brachial artery
o Superior ulnar collateral artery
o Inferior ulnar collateral artery
o Articular network of elbow
o Upper arm
o Elbow
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Radial artery
Course Branches Important anastomoses Distribution o Passes through the radial sheath
o At the wrist runs to dorsal aspect
o Runs through the anatomical snuffbox into the palm
o Radial recurrent artery
o Palmar carpal branch
o Superficial palmar branch
o Dorsal carpal branch of radial artery
o Dorsal metacarpal arteries → dorsal digital arteries
o Princeps pollicis artery
o Radialis indicis artery
o Deep palmar arch → palmar metacarpal arteries
o Articular network of elbow
o Superficial palmar arch: between the terminal branch of the ulnar artery and the superficial palmar branch (from the radial artery)
o Deep palmar arch: between the terminal branch of the radial artery and the deep palmar branch (from the ulnar artery)
o Forearm
o Hand
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Ulnar artery
Course Branches Important anastomoses Distribution o Passes through the ulnar sheath
o Passes through Guyon canal
o Ulnar recurrent artery
o Common interosseous artery
o Dorsal carpal branch of ulnar artery
o Deep palmar branch
o Superficial palmar arch → common palmar digital arteries
o Dorsal carpal rete: between radial artery, ulnar artery, and interosseous artery
o Superficial palmar arch
o Deep palmar arch
o Forearm
o Hand
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Venous systems
Superficial venous system
Vein Course Junction Dorsal venous network of hand o Dorsal aspect of hand → forearm
o Radial cephalic vein
o Ulnar: basilic vein
Cephalic vein o Forearm → upper arm
o Axillary vein (under the clavicle in the infraclavicular fossa = “Mohrenheim fossa”)
Basilic vein o Upper arm (in medial bicipital groove)
o Brachial vein
Deep venous system
- Courses with the homonymous veins, usually in pairs with numerous crosslinks
- Junctions: Ulnar and radial veins → brachial vein → axillary vein → subclavian vein