Anatomy
Course
Continuation of the axillary artery after it has passed the inferior border of the teres minor muscle. It continues to proceeds downwards on the ventral surface of the arm until it reaches the cubital fossa, where it bifurcates in the radial and ulnar arteries. (Bifurcation sometimes occurs higher in the arm in some individuals).
The median nerve lies laterally to brachial artery in the proximal arm, until it eventually crosses over as it descends.
Supply
Supplies the majority of the upper arm.
Clinical
When a clinician is measuring blood pressure, he places the stethoscope on the cubital fossa to listen to the brachial artery. The brachial artery is also commonly used to create a dialysis fistula.
As dialysis requires high blood flow, and no veins in the periphery can accommodate this high demand, the brachial artery is surgically connected to the cephalic vein. The vein, due to increased pressure, expands and facilitates direct cannulation for dialysis.
Interested in taking our award-winning Pocket Anatomy app for a test drive?
