Unique case of vascularization: superficial brachial artery and radial persistent median artery.

Abstract

During a routine cadaveric dissection of a 93-year-old male donor, unique arterial variations were observed in the right upper extremity. This rare arterial branching pattern began at the third part of the axillary artery (AA), where it gave off a large superficial brachial artery (SBA) before bifurcating into the subscapular artery and a common stem. The common stem then gave off a division for the anterior and posterior circumflex humeral arteries, before continuing as a small brachial artery (BA). The BA terminated as a muscular branch to the brachialis muscle. The SBA bifurcated into a large radial artery (RA) and small ulnar artery (UA) in the cubital fossa. The UA branching pattern was atypical, giving off only muscular branches in the forearm and a deep UA before contributing to the superficial palmar arch (SPA). The RA provided the radial recurrent artery and a common trunk (CT) proximally before continuing its course to the hand. The CT from the RA gave off a branch that divided into anterior and posterior ulnar recurrent arteries, as well as muscular branches, before it bifurcated into the persistent median artery (PMA) and the common interosseous artery. The PMA anastomosed with the UA before entering the carpal tunnel and contributed to the SPA. This case presents a unique combination of arterial variations in the upper extremity and is clinically and pathologically relevant.