Upper limb (arm)

Question 1

What are the features of the mid-humeral shaft?

Answer 1

• Crests of the greater and lesser tuberosities
• Deltoid tuberosity
• Radial groove

Question 2

What are the features of the distal humerus?

Answer 2

• Medial and lateral supracondylar ridges
• Medial and lateral epicondyles.
• Trochlea
• Capitulum
• Coronoid fossa
• Olecranon fossa

Question 3

What are the relations of the brachial artery?

Answer 3

• The brachial artery is in the anterior compartment of the arm.
• It lies initially on the medial aspects of the arm but gradually moves laterally as it descends, entering into the elbow between the medial and lateral epicondyles.
• Lies in a groove along medial borders of biceps.

Question 4

What are the relations of the profunda brachii artery?

Answer 4

• The profunda brachii artery is closely associated with the radial nerve.
• It passes into the posterior compartment of the arm through the triangular interval with the nerve.
• It then travels in the radial groove of the humerus with the nerve.
• It bifurcates into its 2 terminal branches midway along the arms.

Question 5

What are the terminal branches of the profunda brachii artery?

Answer 5

• Middle collateral artery

- Radial collateral artery

Question 6

What are the relations of the musculocutaneous nerve?

Answer 6

• Enters the anterior compartment of the arm through the coracobrachialis.
• Travels obliquely (medial to lateral) down the arm between brachialis and biceps brachii.
• Exits the arm lateral to the biceps tendon.

Question 7

What is the terminal branch of the musculocutaneous nerve?

Answer 7

Lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm

Question 8

What are the relations of the median nerve?

Answer 8

• Enters the anterior compartment of the arm anterior to the inferior border of teres major.
• Associated with the the brachial artery along its course.
• Proximally, the nerve is located lateral to the artery.
• Midway, the nerve crosses the artery to become medial to it.
• Lies in a groove on the medial border of biceps brachii.

Question 9

What are the relations of the ulnar nerve?

Answer 9

• The ulnar nerve enters the anterior compartment of the arm lateral to the brachial artery.
• Half way along the arm, it pierces the medial intermuscular septum to enter the posterior compartment.
• It passes posterior to the medial epicondyle, in a groove between it and the olecranon.
• It enters the anterior compartments of the forearm between the 2 heads of flexor carpi ulnaris.

Question 10

What are the branches of the brachial artery?

Answer 10

• Profunda brachii artery
• Nutrient branches to the humerus
• Superior ulnar collateral artery
• Inferior ulnar collateral artery
• Muscular branches

Question 11

What are the veins of the arm?

Answer 11

• Basilic vein: Runs on the medial side of the arm. Pierces deep fascia mid-way along the arm to join venae comitantes of brachial artery.
• Cephalic vein: Runs on the lateral side of the arm. Pierces clavipectoral of anterior axillary wall to join axillary artery.

Question 12

What are the relations of the radial nerve?

Answer 12

• The radial nerve passes into the posterior compartment of the arm through the triangular interval with the profunda brachii artery.
• It passes obliquely (medial to lateral) in the radial groove.
• It pierces the lateral intermuscular 2/3 along the arm to pass into the anterior compartment.
• It passes into the forearm anterior to the lateral epicondyle between brachioradialis and brachialis.