Superior Ulnar Collateral Artery
Arteria collateralis ulnaris superior
Read moreQuick Facts
Origin: Brachial artery.
Course: Distally with the ulnar nerve along medial aspect of arm.
Branches: No named branches.
Supplied Structures: Medial head of the triceps brachii muscle, elbow joint, and cutaneous supply to the medial aspect of the arm
Origin
The superior ulnar collateral artery arises from the brachial artery. However, it may arise from the deep brachial artery (Standring, 2016).
Course
The superior ulnar collateral artery courses distally with the ulnar nerve and descends within the posterior compartment of the arm. Near the elbow, it travels between the medial epicondyle of the humerus and the olecranon of the ulna (Standring, 2016).
The superior ulnar collateral artery terminates deep to the proximal attachment of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle at the medial epicondyle of the humerus. Here, it anastomoses with the posterior ulnar recurrent, inferior ulnar collateral, and middle collateral arteries (Standring, 2016).
Branches
The superior ulnar collateral artery occasionally gives a branch that passes anterior to the medial epicondyle of the humerus and anastomoses with the anterior ulnar recurrent artery. It also forms an anastomotic arch with the middle collateral artery just superior to the olecranon fossa of the humerus.
Supplied Structures
The superior ulnar collateral artery contributes to the supply of the medial head of the triceps brachii muscle, the elbow joint, and cutaneous supply to the medial aspect of the arm.
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.
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Ulnar Artery
A superficial ulnar artery is an ulnar artery superficial to the flexor muscles of the forearm and may be incorrectly identified as the brachial artery.
