* Our Advanced Anatomy content is developed for High School and/or Introductory College Level Students.
The Upper Limb
The blood supply to the upper limb (shoulder, arm and hand) starts as the subclavian arteries in the shoulders. As each artery passes into the axilla (armpit) it becomes the:
> axillary artery supplies blood, through several small branches, to the axilla, chest wall, shoulder joint, scapula, and regional muscles. Axillary artery branches include:
– supreme thoracic artery supplies blood to the upper chest.
– thoracoacromial trunk supplies blood to the deltoid and pectoral region.
– lateral thoracic artery supplies blood to the lateral thorax (chest wall).
– subscapular artery supplies blood to the muscles of the scapula and latissimus dorsi.
– anterior humeral circumflex and posterior humeral circumflex artery supply blood to the head of the humerus, deltoid and teres minor muscle.
> As the axillary artery emerges from the axilla into the arm it is now called the brachial artery.
> brachial artery runs down the medial humerus to supply blood to the anterior flexor muscles.
> deep brachial artery branches off to supply blood to the triceps. At the elbow, small branches anastomose around the elbow joint. Below the elbow, the brachial artery splits into the radial and ulnar arteries.
> radial artery supplies blood to the lateral muscles of the forearm, wrist, thumb and later half of the index finger. It creates the wrist pulse.
> ulnar artery supplies blood to the medial forearm, and fingers 3-5 and the medial half of the index finger.
> The ulnar artery gives off the common interosseus artery which supplies blood to the to the deep flexors and extensors.
> In the palm, the radial and ulnar arteries anatomose to form the palmar arches. The superficial palmar arch and the deep palmar arch.
> The metacarpal artery and digital arteries come off the palmar arches.
Test your knowedge of the arteries of the upper limb with the labeling page.
Arteries of the Pelvis and Lower Limb (Hip, Leg and Foot):
The common iliac arteries divide at the sacroiliac joint into the internal and external iliac arteries:
> internal iliac arteries supplying blood to the pelvic wall and organs (bladder, rectum, reproductive organs, and medial thighs.
> external iliac arteries supply the lower limbs and give off branches into the pelvis muscles and skin of the inferior abdominal wall.
When the external iliac arteries pass under the inguinal ligament, they become the femoral arteries.
> femoral arteries run down the anterio-medial thigh and give off:
> deep femoral artery which supplies blood to the flexors of the thigh (postero-lateral thigh) and gives off:
> lateral and medial circumflex arteries that encircle and nourish the head of the femur.
> femoral arteries turn into popliteal arteries as they pass though the adductor hiatus and popliteal fossa behind the knee.
> popliteal artery anastomose around knee and supplies blood to the knee region then splits into anterior and posterior tibial arteries.
> anterior tibial artery (smaller of the two) runs through the anterior compartment of the leg and supplies blood to the extensor muscles.
At the ankle it becomes the dorsalis pedis artery which is the pedal pulse point.
> dorsalis pedis artery supplies blood to the ankle of dorsum (top) of foot. It then becomes the:
> arcuate artery which gives of the metatarsal arteries to the digits.
> posterior tibial artery (larger) runs through the posterior compartment of the leg supplying blood to the flexor muscles of the leg.
It gives off the:
> peroneal artery that supplies blood to the lateral peroneal muscles of the leg.
At the ankle it divides into:
> lateral and medial plantar arteries supply blood to plantar surface (bottom) of the foot and then form:
> the plantar arch which gives off the digital arteries.
Test your knowedge of the arteries of the upper limb with the labeling page.
