Profunda Brachii Artery, Posterior View

Description

Prominent in the upper arm is the profunda brachii artery (deep brachial artery), arising from the brachial artery proximally and coursing posteriorly toward the radial groove as it spirals around the posterolateral shaft of the humerus. The vessel runs in close company with the radial nerve on the posterior aspect of the arm, passing deep to the long head of triceps brachii and along the lateral head as it descends toward the lateral supracondylar region. Superficial and deep muscle planes are visible around it, with deltoid superiorly and triceps forming the main posterior compartment envelope; accompanying venae comitantes and adjacent superficial veins are differentiated from arteries by color coding. Tight anatomy. This posterior relationship is the one clinicians need when discussing radial nerve palsy after midshaft humeral fracture, because the nerve and profunda brachii artery share the radial groove and can be injured together. It also supports surgical teaching for posterior approaches to the humerus and for management of penetrating trauma to the upper arm, where brisk bleeding may reflect deep brachial injury rather than superficial venous disruption. The branching pattern into radial collateral and middle collateral arteries helps explain periarticular collateral flow around the elbow when the brachial artery is compromised. Use this artwork in gross anatomy and neurovascular correlation modules, orthopaedic trauma lectures on humeral shaft fractures, and operative anatomy references covering posterior arm dissections and fixation corridors. It also fits well in clinical skills materials that map pulse points and hemorrhage control in the arm while distinguishing superficial from deep vasculature. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.