Diverse variants of the profunda brachii artery: A series of three cases

Abstract

Background: The profunda brachii artery (PBA), also known as the deep brachial artery or deep artery of the arm, is one of the principal branches of the brachial artery. Typically The PBA accompanies the radial nerve in the posterior compartment of the arm. Both the PBA and radial nerve pass backward through the triangular interval of the arm and enter the radial sulcus. Since there are few studies on the anatomy of the PBA, the data on its course and branching pattern have remained unchanged for years. However, everyday clinical practice shows that anatomical variability is common, so a detailed description of the divergences from the most typical morphology is needed. Methods: In this report, three different anatomical variants of the course and division of the PBA were described, including a detailed description of its topographical relationships especially with the radial nerve. Results: Case No. 1 involves a variant of the PBA in which both terminal branches of the artery take separate origins directly from the posterior aspect of the brachial artery. Case No. 2 presents a variant in which both terminal branches of the artery have a very distal origin. Case No. 3 is a variant in which the PBA crosses the radial nerve's posterior aspect. Conclusions: Variations of the PBA and its terminal branches should be considered in planning and conducting orthopedic, plastic, and reconstructive surgeries.

Keywords

• Profunda brachii artery
• Radial nerve
• Arm
• Anatomical variation