ARM

COMPETANCIES

• Describe the muscles of the anterior and posterior

compartment of arm.

• Describe origin,course,termination and branches of

the nerves and vessels of anterior and posterior
compartment of arm
 The arm is divided into
anterior and posterior
compartments by
medial and lateral
intermuscular septa.
 The anteroposterior
septum separates the
brachialis from the
muscles attached to the
lateral supracondylar
ridge. Anterior Compartment contains
 The transverse septum Coracobrachialis, Biceps Brachii
separates the biceps and Brachialis muscle,
from brachialis. the Musculocutaneous nerve
and Brachial artery
 MUSCLES OF ANTERIOR
COMPARTMENT
CORACOBRACHIALIS
Origin
From the tip of coracoid process
medial to short head of biceps
brachii
Insertion
Middle 5cm of medial border of
humerus.
Nerve supply
Musculocutaneus nerve(C5-C7)
Action
Flexes the arm at shoulder joint
BICEPS BRACHII
Origin It has two heads of origin
Short head From the tip of coracoid
process,along with coracobrachialis
Long head From the supraglenoid tubercle of
scapula& glenoidal labrum(tendon is intracapsular)

Insertion
The short head of biceps is twisted so that the
anterior fibres becomes lateral and posterior fibers
becomes medial. The muscle gets inserted on
posterior rough surface of radial tuberosity.Long
head gives an extention
the Bicipital aponeuroses which merges with the
deep fascia of forearm medially.
Action
Nerve supplyMusculocutaneus nerve(5-6)
It is a strong supinator when the forearm is flexed as in screwing
movement. Flexor of elbow. Short head is flexor of arm.Long head
prevents upwards displacement of head of humerus
BRACHIALIS
Origin
Lower half of the front of
humerus its ,anterolateral and
anteromedial surfaces,medial and
lateral intermuscular septa
Insertion
Rough anterior surface of
coronoid process of ulna and
ulnar tuberosity
Nerve supply Musculocutaneus
nerve (5-6)is motor and Radial
nerve is proprioceptive
Action
Flexes forearm at elbow joint
Changes at Insertion of Coracobrachialis
Muscles i.Insersion of Deltoid and Coracobrachialis here.
ii.Upper end of origin of brachialis.
iii.Upper end of origin of the medial head of triceps
brachii.
Arteries i.The brachial artery passes from the medial side of
the arm to its anterior aspect.
ii.Profunda brachii artery runs in the spiral groove
iii Origin of superior ulnar collateral artery.
iv.Nutrient artery of the humerus enters the bone.
VeinThe basilic vein pierces the deep fascia.
NervesThe median nerve crosses the brachial artery from the
lateral to the medial side.Ulnar N. pierces the medial and
Musculocutaneous Nerve
ORIGIN
Musculocutaneous nerve is a branch of the lateral cord of the
brachial plexus.
Its Root value is C5–C7 segments of spinal cord.

COURSE
In the Axilla and Arm it lies lateral to axillary artery and
upper part of brachial artery and then moves anteriorly.
After supplying coracobrachialis,it pierces the muscle to lie in
the intermuscular septum between
biceps brachii and brachialis muscles and moves laterally.
It then pierces the deep fascia just above the elbow and
continues as lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm.
Branches
Muscular To-Coracobrachialis, long head of biceps brachii,
short head of biceps brachii, and brachialis.
Cutaneous As Lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm and
supplies both on the front and the back of forearm
till the ball of thumb.
Articular Elbow joint through nerve to brachialis and
shoulder joint along with the nuttrient artery.

This nerve rarely gets injured as it is sandwitched between biceps

and brachialis muscles.
The course of the musculocutaneous
nerve
Brachial Artery
Origin The artery starts at the lower border of Teres Major
as continuation of Axillary artery.
Course
It runs from medial to anterior aspect of arm and ends at the
neck of radius by dividing into Radial and Ulnar arteries
Branches
1)Anterior and posterior circumflex humeral arteries
2)Profunda brachii (largest branch)
3) Muscular and cutaneous branches
4) Superior ulnar collateral artery
5) Inferior ulnar collateral artery
6) Nutrient artery to humerus
The course of the brachial
artery
Origin BRACHIAL
It starts as the continuation of
axillary artery at the lower border ARTERY
of Teres major
Course
It runs on anterior aspect of arm
and ends by dividing into Radial
and Ulnar branches in cubital fossa
at the neck of radius
Branches
Profunda Brachii(largest branch)
Superior Ulnar collateral
Inferior Ulnar collateral
Muscular branches
Nutrient branch
CLINICAL ANATOMY
Brachial pulsations are felt or auscultated in front of the elbow just
medial to the tendon of biceps for recording the blood pressure.

Blood pressure being taken

POSTERIOR
COMPARTMENT
Posterior compartment
contains :-
Triceps brachii
muscle,
Radial nerve
and
Profunda brachii
artery.
Origin Muscle of the back of arm
Long Head arises from
Triceps Brachii
infraglenoid tubercle
of scapula.
Lateral Head arises
from an oblique ridge
on the upper part of
posterior surface
above radial groove
of humerus. Lateral Head
Medial Head arises
Long Head
from posterior
surface of the Medial Head
humerus below the
radial groove.
Insertion
The lateral head twists and brings its anterior
border laterally and joins the long head.Both the
heads then cover the medial head and are
together inserted into the posterior part of
superior surface of Olecranon process of ulna
Nerve Supply
Each head receives a separate branch from the
radial nerve (C7, C8).
The branches arise in axilla and in radial groove.

Action
The triceps is a powerful active extensor of the elbow.
Gravity extends the elbow passively.
RADIAL NERVE
ORIGIN Radial nerve is a branch
of the posterior cord of brachial plx
. COURSE In the Axilla it lies
lateral and then posterior to axillary
artery where it gives branches to the
long and medial head of triceps.
Then passing through the radial
groove in the posterior aspect of the
humerous it gives a branch to the
lateral as well as medial head of
triceps and anconeus.Again before it
divides into its superficial and deep
branch at the lower end of humerous
it supplies brachialis& the muscles
CLINICAL ANATOMY
• In radial nerve injuries of the arm,
the triceps brachii usually escapes complete paralysis.
This is because the two nerve branches from the radial nerve
supplying the long head and medial head of triceps arise in
the axilla .
Crutch palsy:-due to compression of radial nerve in axilla
Wrist drop:-Due to fractures of humerus the extensors of the
wrist are affected
• To test the triceps muscle the physician holds the flexed
forearm of the patient firmly.
He is then requested to extend his elbow against the resistance
of the physicians hand.
The contracting triceps brachii is felt.
PROFUNDA BRACHII ARTERY
Origin
It is the first and the largest branch of brachial artery.
Course
It moves through the radial groove,
accompanied by the radial nerve.
Further it moves to pierces the lateral intermuscular septum
and divide into the anterior and posterior descending
branches which take part in the anastomoses around the
elbow joint.
Branches are:
The radial collateral (anterior descending) artery.
The middle collateral (posterior descending) artery.
PROFUNDA Branches are:
BRACHII ARTERY The radial collateral
It is the largest branch of (anterior descending) artery.
brachial artery. The middle collateral
It accompanies the radial (posterior descending) artery.
nerve through the radial
groove of humerus, and
reaching the lateral
intermuscular septum, it
divides into the anterior
and posterior descending
branches which take part
in the anastomoses around
the elbow joint.
 Lateral epicondyle: Anastomoses
In front around the Elbow Joint
Anterior descending
branch of profunda brachii
anastomoses with the
radial recurrent branch of
the radial artery
Behind
Posterior descending
branch of profunda
brachii anastomoses with
the interosseous recurrent
branch of the posterior
interosseous artery.
 Medial epicondyle: Anastomoses
In front around the Elbow Joint
inferior ulnar collateral branch
anastomoses with the
anterior ulnar recurrent
branch of the ulnar artery.
• Behind
superior ulnar collateral branch
of the brachial artery
anastomoses with the posterior
ulnar recurrent branch.
CUBITAL FOSSA Boundaries
Laterally Medial border
of the brachioradialis.
Medially Lateral border
of the pronator teres.
BaseIt is directed upwards,
and is represent
by an imaginary line
joining the front of two
epicondyles of the humerus.
Apex It is directed
Downwards&is formed where
brachioradialis crosses pronator teres
Roof
a. Skin.
b. Superficial fascia
containing the
median cubital
vein.
c. The lateral
cutaneous nerve
of the forearm and
the medial
cutaneous nerve
of the forearm
d. Deep fascia.
e. Bicipital
aponeurosis
Floor
It is formed by:
i. Brachialis ii. Supinator surrounding the upper part of radius
Contents
1. The median
nerve
2. The termination
of the brachial
artery, and the
beginning of the
radial and ulnar
arteries.
3. Tendon of the
biceps brachii &
bicipital
aponeurosis
4. The radial nerve
CLINICAL ANATOMY
a. The median cubital vein is often the vein of choice for
intravenous injections.
b. The blood pressure is universally recorded by auscultating
the brachial artery in front of the elbow.