During the medical student’s training in the Anatomy we have studied the arterial constitutions of the superior limb in 100 bodies from the Laboratory of the Descriptive Anatomy of the Medical School, University of Athens.

We have examined the brachial artery and the superficial brachial artery. Superficial brachial artery is called the major artery that is found superficially of the middle nerve. Such an artery can either substitute or complete the brachial artery. For reasons of classification we took into account the arteries only and neglected the smaller branches. The superficial brachial artery often origins from the proximal part of the forearm and the clinical interest of this remark consists on the fact that this artery leads to the forearm, in front of the biceps brachial muscle’s aponeurosis. By this way it can easily be mistaken as a vein and an “intravenous” injection can be disastrous.

Our results were:

A. Only one brachial artery: 76%

The classic case of the books of Anatomy: the brachial artery is found opposite of the middle nerve, crossing under it at the upper arm: 74%

The middle nerve’s constitution is not the typical one at the armpit, but the artery crosses under it: 2%

B. Presence of one brachial artery only: 10% One brachial artery in front of the two radixes of the middle nerve: 2%

The major artery is found opposite of the radixes of the middle nerve, but crosses in front of it at the arm:4%

The dorsal artery is found behind the middle nerve from the dorsal part but comes over the nerve between the musculocutaneous and the middle nerve: 2%

There is not the typical constitution of the middle nerve from two radixes and the artery is found in front of the middle nerve:2%

C. Two major arterial branches: 14%

The axillary artery is divided in two branches one in frond of and the other behind of the radixes of the middle nerve: 5%

The brachial artery is divided in two branches one of which is found in frond of the middle nerve: 9%

During the medical student’s training in the Anatomy we have studied the arterial constitutions of the forearm in 100 bodies from the Laboratory of the Descriptive Anatomy of the Medical School, University of Athens.

On our efforts to classify the complexity of the forearm concerning its blood supply we accepted that we might have some basic groups that can be explained by the embryology. Our results were:

A. “Regular” hematosis of the forearm (with the presence of the radial, the ulnar and the interosseous artery): 81%

All the forearm’s arteries ramify from the brachial artery: 68%

All the forearm’s arteries ramify from the superficial brachial artery: 7%

The radial artery origins from the superficial brachial artery, the ulnar and the interosseous arteries from the brachial artery: 4%

As in 3 with a wide osculation between the brachial and the radial artery in the elbow: 2%

B. Forearm’s superficial arteries: 10%

The superficialulnar artery substitutes the ulnar artery: 4%

Superficial middle artery: 2%

Superficial radial artery in addition to the normal radical artery: 2%

The forearm’s superficial artery is short and ends at the forearm’s proximal part: 2%

C. Presence of the middle artery (embryo remnant): 9%

The middle artery origins from the ulnar artery with the interosseous artery: 3%

The middle artery origins from the ulnar artery far from the common interosseous artery: 2%

The middle artery origins from the common interosseous artery: 2%

The middle artery origins from the radical artery: 2%

During a wide study of the arterial variations in the Greek population, we examined the arterial trunks, arising from the subclavian and axillary arteries.150 cadavers were examined by the Forensic Service of Athens University.

SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY

The focal point of our research was the origin of the inferior thyroid, the suprascapular and the transversal cervical artery. In 6.6% of our cases all three of the mentioned arteries had a common origin. As far as the rest 93.4% is concerned, we came to the following conclusions:

A. There was only one trunk without the participation of the pleurocervical trunk (81.3%)

1. The thyrocervical trunk is formed by the inferior thyroid, the suprascapular and the transversal cervical branches (classical anatomic knowledge) (33.3%)

2. The internal mammary artery arises from the thyrocervical trunk (9.3%)

3. The trunk is formed by the inferior thyroid and the suprascapular artery (26.6%)

4. The trunk is formed by the inferior thyroid, the supra-scapular and the internal mammary artery (6.6%)

5. There are two trunks: the first one is formed by the inferior thyroid and the suprascapular and the second one by the transversal cervical and the internalmammary artery (2.6%)

6. There are two trunks: the first one is formed by the inferior thyroid and the transversal cervical artery and the second one by the suprascapular and the internal mammary artery (4%)

B. Participation of the pleurocervical trunk (12%)

1. The transversal cervical artery with the pleurocervical trunk (6%)

2. The pleurocervical trunk arises from the internal mammary artery (2%)

3. The pleurocervical trunk with the suprascapular artery (1.3%)

4. The inferior thyroid artery with the pleurocervical trunk (1.3%)

5. The pleurocervical trunk with the inferior thyroid and the suprascapular artery (1.3%)

AXILLARY ARTERY

As far as the axillary is concerned, the 12% of the cadavers follow the basic model. As far as the rest of the cases are concerned, we concluded that:

A. Some branches form common trunks (48%)

1. The lateral thoracic and the dorsothoracic artery form a common trunk (11.3%)

2. The lateral thoracic together with the subscapular artery form a common trunk (9.3%)

3. The subscapular and the posterior circumflex brachial artery (9.3%)

4. Both the circumflex brachial arteries form a common trunk (18%) B. The arteries of the arm arise from the axillary artery (21.3%)

1. The profunda brachial artery arises from the axillary artery (11.3%)

2. The superficial brachial artery arises from the axillary artery (5.3%)

3. The profunda brachial artery arises from the posterior circumflex brachial artery (4.6%) C. Special cases (18.6%)

1. There are supplementary branches in the parries (5.3%)

2. Separate origin of the circumflex scapular artery and the dorsothoracic artery (5.3%)

3. The dorsothoracic artery is short compared to the lateral thoracic artery (2.6%)

4. The posterior circumflex artery arises from the brachial artery (5.3%)