Complex neurovascular variation in one upper limb.

Variations in the arterial pattern of the upper limb are frequently encountered during dissection of the human body. However, multiple variations in one limb are infrequently encountered. Dissection of the left amputated upper limb, 15 cm above the intercondyler line, of a female cadaver revealed the following variations. 1. The superficial brachial artery descends behind the bicepital apneurosis and continues as the radial artery. 2. The deep (definitive) brachial artery continues in the forearm as the ulnar artery under the superficial flexor muscles of the forearm. 3. The median artery arises from the ulnar artery 5 cm below the intercondyler line and continues deep to the flexor retinaculum. 4. The median artery terminates in the hand as princeps pollicis and radials indicis arteries. 5. The median nerve forms a loop surrounding the median artery 4 cm below the intercondyler line and bifurcates 2 cm above the flexor retinaculum.