The anterior compartment of the forearm - neuromuscular pattern and vessels (dave's notes)

Question 1

How does the brachial artery enter the forearm?

Answer 1

By passing into the cubital fossa?

Question 2

What runs down each side of the forearm? How are the arteries related to these structures?

Answer 2

A nerve runs down each side. The brachial divides into unbar and radial arteries which approach but never reach the nerves.

Question 3

What is the arterial supply of the forearm? What does this divide into?

Answer 3

The common interosseous branch of the ulnar artery, which divides into posterior and anterior interosseous branches.

Question 4

What is the course of the radial artery in the forearm?

What overlaps it in the upper part of the forearm?

Answer 4

This passes medial to the biceps tendon, across supinator, over the insertion of PT, FDS, and FPL.
Passes deep to the tendons of APL and EPB to cross the snuffbox.

Brachioradialis

Question 5

What structure of significance is related to the radial artery in the middle third of the forearm?

Answer 5

The radial nerve is lateral to the radial artery here

Question 6

What are the surface markings of the radial artery?

Answer 6

The radial artery is convex laterally from medial to the biceps tendon in the cubital fossa to a point medial to the styloid process

Question 7

What is the course of the ulnar artery? What lies medial?

Answer 7

From the cubital fossa it passes deep to PT and FDS near the median nerve, then lies on FDP. The ulnar nerve lies medially.

Question 8

What are the surface markings of the ulnar artery?

Answer 8

Runs from the medial side of the biceps tendon to the radial side of pisiform.

Question 9

What is the common interosseous artery a branch of? What becomes of it?

Answer 9

The ulnar artery. Divides into anterior and posterior.

Question 10

What is the course of the anterior interosseous artery? What branches does it give off?

Answer 10

The AIO artery lies deeply in IOM between FDP and FPL, perforating branches pierce the IOM to supply the deep extensor muscles.
Nutrient vessels are given to the radius and ulna
The artery passes through the IOM

Question 11

What is the course of the posterior IO artery?

Answer 11

Passes backwards through the IOM

Question 12

What arteries supply the elbow anastomosis?

Answer 12

Radial, ulnar, and IO arteries running up and anastomosing with the descending branches of profunda brachii

Question 13

What artery supplies the radius and ulna?

Answer 13

Nutrient vessels to the radius and ulnar are from branches of the anterior interosseous artier, from the common interosseous, from the ulnar artery.

Question 14

What arteries supply the wrist’s arterial anastomosis?

Answer 14

Anterior and posterior carpal branches from radius and ulnar, forming the carpal arches.

Question 15

Where is the anterior carpal arch found? With what does it anastomose?

Answer 15

Lies transversely across the wrist joint supplying carpal bones and sends branches distally into the hand to anastomose with the deep palmar arch.

Question 16

Where is the posterior carpal arch found?

Answer 16

Lies transversely across the distal row of carpals, sends dorsal metacarpal arteries distally into each metacarpal space.

Question 17

What is the significance of the anterior and posterior carpal arch anastomoses?

Answer 17

Free anastomoses between radius and ulnar arteries

Question 18

Describe the general venous drainage of the forearm

Answer 18

Deep veins are plentiful and accompany arteries as venue comitantes

Question 19

Where does blood from the palm of the hand drain to first?

Answer 19

The dorsum of the hand

Question 20

Where does blood from the radial side drain to? What is the course of that vein?

Answer 20

Via the cephalic vein from the snuffbox along the pre axial border

Question 21

Where does blood from the ulnar side drain to? What is the course of this vein?

Answer 21

The basilic vein running up the post axial border piercing the deep fascia halfway between the elbow and axilla

Question 22

What does the median forearm drain? To where?

Answer 22

From the wrist and forearm, dividing into median cephalic and median basilic

Question 23

Which is most easy to cannulate, and why?

Answer 23

The median cephalic vein is much less mobile (although smaller) and thus easier to cannulate.