Cubital anastomosis anatomy 1sy year mbbs level

Reading File

Finding Sources

Searching PubMed

"elbow" AND anastomosis

Searching the Web

cubital anastomosis arteries elbow anatomy

Searching Images

diagram cubital anastomosis arterial network around elbow

Reading File

Cubital anastomosis

Cubital anastomosis is an arterial network around the elbow joint. It connects arteries coming down from the arm with recurrent arteries coming up from the forearm.

Why it is important

It provides collateral circulation. Thus, if the brachial artery is compressed or ligated below the origin of profunda brachii artery, blood can still reach the forearm through this network.

Arteries forming it

Descending arteries from arm	Ascending recurrent arteries from forearm
Radial collateral artery - branch of profunda brachii	Radial recurrent artery - branch of radial artery
Middle collateral artery - branch of profunda brachii	Recurrent interosseous artery - branch of posterior interosseous artery
Superior ulnar collateral artery - branch of brachial artery	Posterior ulnar recurrent artery - branch of ulnar artery
Inferior ulnar collateral artery - branch of brachial artery	Anterior ulnar recurrent artery - branch of ulnar artery

Main anastomoses to remember

Site around elbow	Anastomosing arteries
In front of lateral epicondyle	Radial collateral + radial recurrent
Behind lateral epicondyle	Middle collateral + recurrent interosseous
In front of medial epicondyle	Inferior ulnar collateral + anterior ulnar recurrent
Behind medial epicondyle	Superior ulnar collateral + posterior ulnar recurrent

Easy diagram

                 ARM
          Profunda brachii
            /           \
   Radial collateral   Middle collateral
          |                  |
  Radial recurrent     Recurrent interosseous
    (front of             (behind
 lateral epicondyle)   lateral epicondyle)


        Brachial artery
           /          \
Superior ulnar      Inferior ulnar
 collateral          collateral
      |                   |
Posterior ulnar      Anterior ulnar
 recurrent            recurrent
(behind medial       (front of medial
 epicondyle)          epicondyle)

One-line mnemonic

“R-R in front, M-I behind laterally; I-A in front, S-P behind medially.”

R-R: Radial collateral + Radial recurrent
M-I: Middle collateral + recurrent Interosseous
I-A: Inferior ulnar collateral + Anterior ulnar recurrent
S-P: Superior ulnar collateral + Posterior ulnar recurrent

Arteries contributing to cubital anastomosis

The network consists of four descending collateral arteries and three ascending recurrent arteries, and encircles the elbow joint. Color Atlas of Human Anatomy, Vol. 2, pp. 106-107. The paired relations around the epicondyles are also described in this upper-limb arterial anatomy review.

This is a shared conversation. Sign in to Orris to start your own chat.