Illustrated Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation: Opus II: Cardiovascular System

Absence of Ulnar Artery

Ronald A. Bergman, PhD
Adel K. Afifi, MD, MS
Ryosuke Miyauchi, MD
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed

A: Partition of the axillary artery into two trunks of equal size, one of which becomes the brachial artery and the second a common trunk for the subscapular, posterior circumflex humeral artery, and profunda brachii. Persistence of a superficial median artery (arteria mediana superficialis communis artaum superiorum) which forms the superficial palmer arch. The median artery has several anastomotic branches to the radial artery.

B: Division of the axillary artery into two trunks resulting in the formation of a brachial artery which passes into the forearm to continue as the radial artery. The radial artery provides interosseous branches and pierces the lateral side of the transverse carpal ligament to participate significalily in the formation of the superficial palmer arch. The second trunk provides the thoracoacromial artery and lateral thoracic thoracic arteries, and after having a superficial course in the forearm, continues as a persistent median artery which passes superficially over the transverse carpal ligament to participate in the superficial palmer arch. Note that the tendon of palmaris longus muscle gives rise to an accessorius ad flexorem digit, minimi muscle. Note also the potential entrapment sites as the radial arteries pass between the lacertus fibrosus and tendon of insertion of the biceps brachli muscle.

from Calori, 1868.

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