Bilateral case of superficial ulnar artery originating from axillary artery

Abstract

During the dissection of an 86-year-old male human cadaver, superficial ulnar arteries were found in both upper limbs. These arteries branched from the axillary arteries. In the left arm, the artery crossed ventral to the medial root of the median nerve before running towards the medial part of the arm. The persistence of the median artery was noted. In the right arm, the ulnar artery had a common origin with the subscapular artery. It crossed anterior to the lateral root of the median nerve and then, in the arm, ran alongside the anterolateral aspect of the median nerve, near the biceps brachii muscle, which was supplied by this superficial ulnar artery. Then the artery crossed the median nerve and the brachial artery. The embryology, incidence and clinical relevance of this anatomical variation are discussed. So this was a rare case where the ulnar arteries originated from the axillary artery on both sides, but then followed different courses in the arm and, on the right side, the superficial ulnar artery partly supplied the biceps brachii muscle.

Superficial ulnar artery: Curse or blessing in harvesting fasciocutaneous forearm flaps

“…Furthermore, it can cause problems in brachial arterial catheterization. 5,6 In reconstructive surgery, the forearm is one of the most frequently used donor regions for free soft tissue transfer. For many years, the radial forearm flap has been the most popular micro-vascular flap to be used for reconstructive procedures in the head and neck region.…”

“…It can lie deep or superficial to the fascia covering these muscles. 6 The palmaris longus muscle is described as being absent in some of these cases. 5 Like the common ulnar artery, the superficial ulnar artery establishes the superficial palmar arch in the hand with a contribution from the superficial branch of the radial artery.…”

“…2,4,5 Although unilateral presence of this anomaly is not often found, bilateral cases of a superficial ulnar artery are observed even more seldom. 6,7 The common ulnar artery arises distal to the crook of the elbow as the larger of the two terminal divisions of the brachial artery. It runs in the forearm beneath the antebrachial flexor muscles accompanying the ulnar nerve and passes the wrist superficial to the flexor retinaculum.…”

Multiple Arterial Variants: Common interosseous artery arising from the radial artery and ulnar artery origin from proximal brachial artery

“…The aberrant ulnar artery is more vulnerable to trauma and thus to bleeding, but is also more accessible for cannulation, if needed (14). In cases where the high replaces the ulnar artery, such as that reported by us, its accidental injury during surgical procedures can result in serious ischaemia of the forearm (15)(16)(17)(18)(19). The arteries of the upper extremities with unusual patterns may be mistaken for a vein.…”

Case report of high origin of radial, ulnar, and profunda brachii arteries, its clinical implications and review of the literature

“…High origin of the ulnar artery from the brachial artery 6,18 and also from the axillary artery 19,20 has been reported. Kadanoff & Balkansky 21 described a high division of the axillary artery into a deep and superficial brachial artery.…”