LEVEL OF BIFURCATION OF BRACHIAL ARTERY AND ITS CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Background: Brachial artery is the continuation of the axillary artery and the brachial artery usually divides in the upper limb at the level of the neck of the radius in the cubital fossa. In some specimen, it may be bifurcates into radial and the ulnar artery at a higher level than the normal. The level of division of the brachial artery may vary. Authors also reported the absence of the brachial artery.,in that case the radial and the ulnar artery arose directly from the axillary artery. The present study is aimed to assess the percentage of high bifurcation of the brachial artery into radial and the ulnar artery. The study was carried out in theMaterials and Methods: Department of Anatomy, Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences. A total of 108 specimens on both sides of the upper limb was observed and traced the brachial artery for its division. In the present study, out of 108 specimens, bifurcation of brachial artery atResults and discussion: the level of neck of radius is about 96.2% and the division of brachial artery at the level of middle third of the arm is 3.12 % and the division at the level of upper third of the arm is 1.08 % was observed. Vessels of the upper limb have much more importance in different kinds ofConclusion: diagnostic, analytic and therapeutic studies. Diagnostically this type of variation may disturb the evaluation of angiography images. Further knowledge of such variation has got clinical importance especially in the eld of orthopaedic, vascular, and plastic surgeries.