title: Low origin of the radial artery: a case study including a review of literature and proposal of an embryological explanation.
abstract: A low origin of the radial artery is a rare anatomical variation, with the incidence estimated at 0.2 %. This report presents a previously unrecorded case of an unusual distal origin of the radial artery, co-occurring with a double recurrent radial artery. The radial artery arose under the pronator teres muscle, 76 mm below the intercondylar line of the humerus. After emerging from under the tendon of the pronator teres muscle, the radial artery took a typical course and terminated in the deep palmar arch. Additionally, the double radial recurrent artery branched directly off the brachial artery, near the level of the radial neck. A well-developed muscular branch of the first radial recurrent artery ran beneath the brachioradialis muscle and supplied the brachioradialis, extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis, as well as supinator muscles. The second (accessory) radial recurrent artery took origin from the posterior aspect of the brachial artery, ran deep to the distal tendon of the biceps brachii muscle and terminated by joining the articular network of elbow. According to recent theories, the plexiform appearance of the arteries at early stages of upper limb development allows for formation of alternative pathways of blood flow, which may give rise to variations in the definitive arterial pattern.
authors.affiliation: Department of Normal and Clinical Anatomy, Interfaculty Chair of Anatomy and Histology, Medical University of Lodz, ul. Narutowicza 60, 90-136, Łódź, Poland. grzegorz.wysiadecki@umed.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wysiadecki
authors.affiliation: Department of Angiology, Interfaculty Chair of Anatomy and Histology, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polguj
authors.affiliation: Department of Normal and Clinical Anatomy, Interfaculty Chair of Anatomy and Histology, Medical University of Lodz, ul. Narutowicza 60, 90-136, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haładaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Normal and Clinical Anatomy, Interfaculty Chair of Anatomy and Histology, Medical University of Lodz, ul. Narutowicza 60, 90-136, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Mirosław
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Topol
mesh_terms: D063405:Anatomic Variation; D006801:Humans; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*; D034941:Upper Extremity
keywords: Arterial development; Forearm; Radial artery; Variations