Blood Supply of the Upper Limb

Question 1

what 3 major vessels does the aortic arch give rise to from right to left

Answer 1

the brachiocephalic artery, the left common carotid artery, and the left subclavian artery

Question 2

what does the brachiocephalic artery give rise to on the right

Answer 2

the right common carotid artery and the right subclavian artery

Question 3

what is the origin of blood supply to the upper limb

Answer 3

the subclavian arteries

Question 4

what is the path the subclavian artery takes to become the axillary artery

Answer 4

subclavian artery passes posterior to the anterior scalene muscle and courses posterior to the clavicle into the axilla

Question 5

what are the branches of the major arteries of the upper limb

Answer 5

subclavian artery-> axillary artery -> brachial artery -> radial and ulnar artery

Question 6

what does the subclavian artery supply

Answer 6

brain, neck, pectoral region, back and posterior shoulder

Question 7

what does the axillary artery supply

Answer 7

posterior shoulder, axilla, lateral thorax

Question 8

what does the brachial artery supply

Answer 8

arm and cubital region (elbow)

Question 9

what does radial artery supply

Answer 9

cubital region, posterior forearm, hand

Question 10

what does the ulnar artery supply

Answer 10

cubital region, anterior forearm, hand

Question 11

what are the 3 divisions of the subclavian in relation to anterior scalene muscle

Answer 11

-part 1 is medial to the anterior scalene muscle
-part 2 is posterior to the anterior scalene muscle
- part 3 is lateral to the anterior scalene muscle

Question 12

what is the subclavian origin on the right? left?

Answer 12

right: brachiocephalic trunk
left: aortic arch

Question 13

where does the subclavian artery arise in relation to the sternoclavicular joint

Answer 13

posterior

Question 14

what arteries branch off part 1 of the subclavian artery

Answer 14

vertebral artery, internal thoracic artery, thyrocervical arterial trunk

Question 15

what branches off of the thryocervical arterial trunk

Answer 15

-transverse cervical artery which branches off into deep branch and superficial branch
- suprascapular artery

Question 16

what branches off part 2 of the subclavian artery

Answer 16

costocervical trunk which has branches called supreme intercostal artery and deep cervical artery

Question 17

what branches off part 3 of the subclavian artery

Answer 17

usually no arterial branches but sometimes dorsal scapular arteries will arise here

Question 18

what is the cervicodorsal trunk

Answer 18

when the superficial and deep branches of the transverse cervical artery form an arterial trunk

Question 19

what is a marker for the point at which the subclavian artery becomes the axillary artery

Answer 19

the lateral border of the first rib

Question 20

what are the 3 divisions of the axillary artery relative to the pectoralis minor muscle

Answer 20

-part 1 is proximal and medial to pectoralis minor
- part 2 is posterior to the pectoralis minor muscle
- part 3 is distal and lateral to pectoralis minor muscle

Question 21

where does the subclavian artery become the axillary artery

Answer 21

at the lateral border of the first rib

Question 22

what makes up part 1 of the branch off the axillary artery

Answer 22

superior thoracic artery

Question 23

what makes up part 2 of the branch off the axillary artery

Answer 23

thoracoacromial trunk and lateral thoracic artery

Question 24

what makes up the thoracoacromial trunk

Answer 24

pectoral branch, deltoid branch, acromial branch, and clavicular branch

Question 25

what makes up part 3 of the branch off the axillary artery

Answer 25

subscapular artery, anterior circumflex humeral, posterior circumflex humeral

Question 26

what branches off the subscapular artery

Answer 26

circumflex scapular and thoracodorsal

Question 27

what does the superior thoracic artery pass through and what does it supply

Answer 27

passes between pectoralis major and minor to supply the first and second intercostal spaces and the superior part of serratus anterior

Question 28

what does the thoracoacromial trunk pierce

Answer 28

the costocoracoid membrane

Question 29

where does the lateral thoracic artery descend and what does it supply

Answer 29

descends along lateral border of pectoralis minoe muscle to lateral thoracic wall. supplies pectoral, serratus anterior, and intercostal muscles and lateral aspect of breast

Question 30

what is the largest branch of the axillary artery

Answer 30

subscapular artery

Question 31

where does the subscapular artery descend

Answer 31

along lateral border of subscapularis muscle

Question 32

where is the circumflex artery located

Answer 32

curves around lateral border of scapula to enter infraspinous fossa and anastamose with suprascapular arteries

Question 33

what is the circumflex artery very important in

Answer 33

scapular anastomoses

Question 34

what does the thoracodorsal artery supply

Answer 34

latissimus dorsi

Question 35

which artery is bigger: anterior or posterior circumflex humeral artery

Answer 35

posterior

Question 36

where is the anterior circumflex humeral artery located

Answer 36

anterior around surgical neck of humerus

Question 37

where is the posterior circumflex humeral artery located

Answer 37

posterior around surgical neck of humerus and emerges in quadrangular space at back of shoulder/scapular region with axillary nerve

Question 38

what does the posterior circumflex humeral artery supply

Answer 38

deltoid, teres major, teres minor, and long head of triceps muscles

Question 39

what makes up scapular anastomoses

Answer 39

arterial branches arising from the subclavian and axillary arteries and some contributions from branches arising directly from thoracic aorta

Question 40

what do scapular anastomoses allow for

Answer 40

collateral circulation to the upper limb

Question 41

what are the most important anastomosing arterial branches in the scapular anastomoses

Answer 41

suprascapular artery, dorsal scapular artery, circumflex scapular artery

Question 42

what happens in cases on injury, ligation, or occlusion of the axillary artery superior to the subscapular artery?

Answer 42

direction of blood flow in the subscapular artery is reversed to allow blood to flow to the distal portion of the axillary artery and the rest of the arm, forearm and hand

Question 43

what is the brachial artery a continuation of

Answer 43

axillary artery

Question 44

where does the brachial artery begin

Answer 44

at the inferior border or teres major muscle

Question 45

where is the brachial artery palpable

Answer 45

in medial aspect of arm because its pretty superficial

Question 46

what is the main blood supply to the arm

Answer 46

brachial artery

Question 47

what branches off the brachial artery

Answer 47

- deep brachial artery -> middle collateral and radial collateral - superior ulnar collateral - inferior ulnar collateral

Question 48

where do shoulder and arm arteries anastomose with forearm arteries

Answer 48

cubital region

Question 49

what does the ulnar artery give off

Answer 49

-anterior ulnar recurrent a. - posterior ulnar recurrent a. - common interosseous a. -> anterior interosseous a. and posterior interosseous a. and recurrent interosseous a.

Question 50

what does the radial artery give off

Answer 50

radial recurrent artery

Question 51

what are the branches that anastomose between the brachial artery and the ulnar artery

Answer 51

- superior ulnar collateral and posterior ulnar recurrent - inferior ulnar collateral and anterior ulnar recurrent

Question 52

what are the branches that anastomose between the deep brachial artery and radial and interosseous arteries

Answer 52

-radial collateral artery and radial recurrent artery - middle collateral artery and interosseous recurrent artery

Question 53

what arteries run in the anterior forearm

Answer 53

- ulnar a. - radial a. -anterior interosseous a.

Question 54

what arteries run in the posterior forearm

Answer 54

-radial a. -recurrent interosseous a. - posterior interosseous a. - dorsal carpal branch (ulnar a.)

Question 55

what arteries run in the anterior/palmar hand

Answer 55

-superficial palmar arch -> ulnar artery -> common palmar digital aa. -> proper palmar digital aa. - deep palmar arch -> radial artery

Question 56

what arteries run in the posterior/dorsal hand

Answer 56

-radial artery which gives off princeps pollicis artery, dorsal carpal arch, dorsal digital arteries

Question 57

what is the venous drainage for the upper limb

Answer 57

most arteries have companion veins

Question 58

what are the two main superficial veins of the upper limb and what is their relationship to each other

Answer 58

cephalic (lateral) and basilic (medial)

Question 59

where are the cephalic and basilica veins united

Answer 59

in the cubital fossa by the median cubital vein

Question 60

what does the cephalic vein enter and drain into

Answer 60

enters the deltopectoral triangle and drains into the axillary vein

Question 61

what does the basilic vein enter and what does it join with

Answer 61

enters the basilic hiatus to join with brachial veins and becomes the axillary vein

Question 62

describe the deep drainage of the upper limb

Answer 62

-veins from hand and wrist drain into radial and ulnar veins in forearm - these drain into brachial veins -brachial veins join with basilic veins as it becomes axillary vein - axillary vein picks up cephalic vein and then drains in subclavian vein