title: An unusual ulnar artery: its embryological basis and clinical significance.
abstract: The principal arteries of the upper limb show a wide range of variation that is of considerable interest to orthopaedic surgeons, plastic surgeons, radiologists and anatomists. The superficial and high origin of the ulnar artery is a well known but rarely encountered abnormality. In a routine dissection of the left upper limb of an adult male cadaver, a superficial ulnar artery was noted. The ulnar artery had a high origin from the brachial artery in the proximal part of the arm and had a superficial course in the forearm. It had a normal termination in the hand. The common interosseous artery and radial artery arose as a terminal branch of the brachial artery at the level of neck of radius. The superficial position of the artery makes it more vulnerable to trauma, haemorrhage and intra-arterial injection but at the same time, more accessible for cannulation. The embryological basis and clinical significance of such course and origin has been explained.
authors.affiliation: KPC Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata 700032.
authors.forename: Rajasri
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chunder
authors.forename: Krishnendu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Ranjit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guha
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017535:Ulnar Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology*