Eur J Anat, 7 (2): 97-100 (2003)

Two anatomical variations associated with potential vascular entrapment in the upper limb

Koshy S., Rabi S., Indrasingh I., Vettivel S.

Department of Anatomy, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632 002, India

ABSTRACT During routine dissection of the right upper limb of a South Indian male, aged 56, at this department, a supracondylar process was found, from which a fibrous arch extended to the medial intermuscular septum. A triple-headed pronator teres muscle arose by a narrow head from a supracondylar process, a bulky head from a fibrous arch, the medial intermuscular septum, and the medial supracondylar ridge of the humerus, and the other head from the coronoid process of the ulna. The brachial artery and median nerve crossed behind the supracondylar process and fibrous arch, enclosed in a supratrochlear foramen, reached the front of the elbow, and passed through the pronator teres between its bulky and coronoid heads. The cubital fossa was absent. The brachial artery divided into the radial, common interosseous, and ulnar arteries. The median artery was enlarged, arose from the anterior interosseous artery, and passed through the carpal tunnel. The superficial palmar arch was incomplete. Digital arteries from the ulnar artery supplied the medial three and a half fingers and those from the median artery supplied the lateral one and a half fingers. A phylogenetic, clinical and embryological interest of the anatomical variations in the case is presented.

Keywords: adult, anatomical variation, anterior interosseous artery, arm, arm blood vessel, arm blood vessel entrapment, arm muscle, artery, article, blood vessel occlusion, brachial artery, carpal canal, clinical medicine, common interosseous artery, cubital fossa, digital artery, dissection, elbow, embryology, human, human tissue, humerus, male, median artery, median nerve, normal human, phylogeny, pronator teres muscle, radial artery, superficial palmar arch, supracondylar process, ulnar artery, wrist