The brachial artery is the continuation of the axillary artery, descending the medial aspect of the upper arm to divide at the elbow into radial and ulnar arteries. It is the primary site for blood pressure measurement and is accompanied by the median nerve.
| Origin | Continuation of the axillary artery at the lower border of teres major |
|---|---|
| Course | Descends along the medial side of the arm with the median nerve, crossing from medial to anterior over the brachialis, and enters the cubital fossa medial to the biceps tendon where it divides into the radial and ulnar arteries at the level of the radial neck |
| Branches |
The brachial pulse is palpable in the antecubital fossa medial to the biceps tendon and is used for blood pressure auscultation. Supracondylar humeral fractures in children can injure the brachial artery, causing Volkmann's ischaemic contracture if not recognised promptly.
Vascular compromise from supracondylar humeral fracture in children producing the five Ps of limb ischaemia, pain, pallor, paraesthesia, pulselessness, paralysis, requiring urgent orthopaedic and vascular assessment.
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