Brachial artery
Latin: Arteria brachialis sinistra
Location: Arm
Paired structure: one on the left and one on the right side of the body.
View the brachial artery in 3DCourse
Continuation of the axillary artery at the teres major's lower border, descends medially in the arm with the median nerve, crosses the cubital fossa medial to the biceps tendon, and divides into radial and ulnar arteries in the cubital fossa, at the level of the radial neck.
Branches
Profunda brachii (with the radial nerve), muscular branches, superior and inferior ulnar collaterals.
Clinical relevance
The artery auscultated for blood pressure — the cuff's bladder compresses it against the humerus. Supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children threaten it; pain on passive finger extension after such an injury warns of forearm compartment ischaemia, which untreated leads to Volkmann's ischaemic contracture.
Educational anatomy reference, not medical advice. About this content.