Malcic-Gürbüz Jasna, Gürünlüoĝlu Raffi, Ozdoĝmuş Omer, Yalin Aymelek
Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Marmara University, 81320 Usküdar, Istanbul, Turkey.
Clin Anat. 2002 May;15(3):224-7. doi: 10.1002/ca.10005.
The variability of the arteries in the upper extremity is considerable. This case is a report of a trifurcation of the brachial artery that divided into radial, ulnar, and superior ulnar collateral arteries high in the arm; the length of the brachial artery was only 4.9 cm. Because the upper extremity is a frequent site of injury, various surgical and invasive procedures are performed in this region; consequently, it is of utmost importance to be aware of arterial variations. For some medical procedures, there may be an increased risk of complications because of variant vessels; however, for other procedures, they may be beneficial. In addition to presenting a detailed anatomic study of the case, the clinical significance of the variation has been addressed.
