Cubital Fossa

Question 1

What is the cubital fossa?

Answer 1

An area of transition between the anatomical arm and forearm

Question 2

What is the cubital fossa located as?

Answer 2

A depression on the anterior surface of the elbow joint

Question 3

What shape is the cubital fossa?

Answer 3

Triangular

Question 4

What are the borders of the cubital fossa?

Answer 4

Lateral
Medial
Superior

Question 5

What makes up the lateral border of the cubital fossa?

Answer 5

The medial border of the brachioradialis muscle

Question 6

What makes up the medial border of the cubital fossa?

Answer 6

The lateral border of the pronator teres

Question 7

What makes up the superior border of the cubital fossa?

Answer 7

An imaginary line between the epicondyles of the humerus

Question 8

What is the floor of the cubital fossa formed by?

Answer 8

Proximally by brachialis

Distally by the supinator muscle

Question 9

What does the roof of the cubital fossa consist of/

Answer 9

Skin and fascia, which is reinforced by the bicipital aponeurosis

Question 10

What runs within the roof of the cubital fossa?

Answer 10

The median cubital vein

Question 11

What are the important contents of the cubital fossa?

Answer 11

Radial nerve
Biceps tendon
Brachial artery
Median nerve

Question 12

Is the radial nerve always strictly considered as part of the cubital fossa?

Answer 12

No

Question 13

Where does the radial nerve pass?

Answer 13

In the vicinity of the cubital fossa, passing underneath the brachioradialis muscle

Question 14

What happens as the radial nerve passes under the brachioradialis muscle?

Answer 14

It divides into its deep and superficial branches

Question 15

What happens to the biceps tendon as it runs through the cubital fossa?

Answer 15

It attaches to the radial tuberosity, just distal to the neck of the radius

Question 16

What does the brachial artery do?

Answer 16

Supplies oxygenated blood to the forearm

Question 17

What happens to the brachial artery in the cubital fossa?

Answer 17

It bifurcates into the radial and ulnar arteries at the apex of the cubital fossa

Question 18

Where does the median nerve leave the cubital fossa?

Answer 18

Between the two heads of the pronator teres

Question 19

What does the median nerve do?

Answer 19

Supplies the majority of flexor muscles in the forearm

Question 20

How can the brachial pulse be felt?

Answer 20

By palpating immediately medial to the biceps tendon in the cubital fossa

Question 21

How is the brachial pulse used in measuring blood pressure?

Answer 21

It is the location in which the stethoscope must be placed, to hear the Korotkoff sounds

Question 22

Where is the median cubital vein located?

Answer 22

Superficially within the roof of the cubital fossa

Question 23

What does the median cubital vein do?

Answer 23

Connects the basilic and cephalic veins

Question 24

What is the median cubital vein a common site for?

Answer 24

Venepuncture

Question 25

Why is the median cubital vein a common site for venepuncture?

Answer 25

Because it’s easily accessible

Question 26

How does a supracondylar fracture usually occur?

Answer 26

By falling on a flexed elbow

Question 27

What kind of fracture is a supracondylar?

Answer 27

Transverse, spanning between the two epicondyle

Question 28

What may happen with a supracondylar fracture?

Answer 28

The displaced fracture fragments may impinge and damage the contents of the cubital fossa May be damage to median or radial nerves

Question 29

How can supracondylar fractures lead to Volkmann’s ischaemic contracture?

Answer 29

Direct damage, or post-fracture swelling, can cause interference to the blood supply of the forearm from the brachial artery, and the resulting ischaemia causes the flexor muscles to become fibrotic and short, resulting in uncontrolled flexion of the hand