title: Variant origin of an arterial trunk from axillary artery continuing as profunda brachii artery--a unique arterial variation in the axilla and its clinical implications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Axillary artery is known to show different variations mostly in its branching pattern. Similarly, the origin of profunda brachii is often encountered with abnormality. Therefore, when the vascular variations in the upper limb persist, mostly it is confined to its branching pattern followed by its variant origin. But, among all the reported variations of profunda brachii, its variant origin from the 3rd part of the axillary artery with common trunk for the branches of axillary artery is unique.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report here an anomalous origin of profunda brachii as continuation of an arterial trunk arising from 3rd part of the axillary artery. This common trunk at its commencement passed between 2 roots of median nerve and gave branches of 3rd part of axillary artery before it continued as profunda brachii artery. The further course and branching pattern of profunda brachii were normal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since the axillary artery is next choice of artery for arterial cannulation in cardiopulmonary bypass procedures, prior knowledge of existence of such variation in its branching pattern helps in avoiding possible diagnostic or interventional therapeutic errors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal campus), Manipal University, Karnataka, INDIA.
authors.forename: Kumar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Naveen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal campus), Manipal University, Karnataka, INDIA.
authors.forename: Patil
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jyothsna
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal campus), Manipal University, Karnataka, INDIA.
authors.forename: Satheesha B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Nayak
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal campus), Manipal University, Karnataka, INDIA.
authors.forename: Rao K G
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Mohandas
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal campus), Manipal University, Karnataka, INDIA.
authors.forename: Ravindra S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Swamy
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal campus), Manipal University, Karnataka, INDIA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deepthinath
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal campus), Manipal University, Karnataka, INDIA.
authors.forename: Surekha D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Shetty
mesh_terms: D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply*; D001366:Axillary Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: axillary artery; common trunk; profunda brachii; vascular variation