Brachial artery

At a glance

English

Brachial artery

Latin (TA2)

Arteria brachialis

System

Artery

Region

Upper limb

Side

Paired, left and right

About the brachial artery

The brachial artery carries blood through the upper arm. It takes over from the axillary artery at the lower edge of teres major and runs down the front and medial side of the arm, in the groove along the medial edge of biceps, as far as the cubital fossa in front of the elbow. There, at about the level of the neck of the radius, it ends by splitting into its two forearm branches, the radial artery and the ulnar artery. In some people the split happens high in the arm, so that the two forearm arteries run side by side through the upper arm.

Over most of its length it is fairly superficial, covered only by skin and fascia, with biceps and its tendon lying lateral to it. Its closest companion is the median nerve. High up the nerve lies on the lateral side of the artery; at mid-arm it crosses in front of it, usually from lateral to medial; and in the cubital fossa it lies medial to the artery. Below, the bicipital aponeurosis passes over the artery, separating it from the median cubital vein. Paired brachial veins hug the vessel.

Its named branches arise along its course. The deep artery of the arm (profunda brachii) leaves near its start and follows the radial nerve behind the humerus. The superior ulnar collateral artery comes off near mid-arm and travels with the ulnar nerve, and the inferior ulnar collateral artery arises a few centimetres above the elbow. A nutrient artery enters the humerus, and muscular twigs supply the flexors of the arm. The collateral branches join recurrent vessels from the forearm to form a network around the elbow, just as the axillary artery helps to form one around the shoulder.

The brachial pulse can be felt in front of the elbow, just medial to the biceps tendon, and this is where a stethoscope is placed when blood pressure is measured with an inflatable cuff around the arm. The artery can also be compressed against the humerus higher up to control bleeding. A supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children may injure it, so the circulation of the hand is checked carefully after such injuries.

Course and supply

Arises from

Takes over from the axillary artery at the lower border of teres major.

Ends in

Divides in the cubital fossa, at about the level of the neck of the radius, into the ulnar and radial arteries.

Supplies

Supplies the muscles and bone of the arm, contributes to the arterial network around the elbow and carries all the blood bound for the forearm and hand.