Skip to main content
Log in

An unusual topographic relationship between high origin of superficial ulnar artery and bitendinous palmaris longus

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Anatomical Science International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The ulnar artery usually arises from the brachial artery at the cubital fossa. It descends beneath the flexor carpi ulnaris in the forearm and then terminates at the wrist joint by forming the superficial palmar arch with the contributory radial artery. In the present study, we report a more proximal origin of ulnar artery presenting a superficial course in the lower portion of the upper extremity, termed superficial ulnar artery. Interestingly, this artery lies superficially to a bitendinous palmaris longus, a variant muscle in the forearm. The relation between arterial and muscular variations may be useful during clinical procedures such as angiography, forearm flap and tendon grafting as well as avoiding accidental intra-arterial injection.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

r

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ariyo O, Fenderson B (2016) A variant of the classical superficial brachioulnoradial artery: morphology and clinical significances. Surg Radiol Anat 38(6):751–753

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhat KM, Potu BK, Gowda S (2008) High origin of ulnar artery in South Indian male cadaver: a case report. Rom J Morphol Embryol 49(4):573–575

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dartnell J, Sekaran P, Ellis H (2007) The superficial ulnar artery: incidence and calibre in 95 cadaveric specimens. Clin Anat 20(8):929–932

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Devansh MS (1996) Superficial ulnar artery flap. Plast Reconstr Surg 97(2):420–426

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Felipe Bianchi H, Andrea Vargas C, Ernesto Ottone N (2018) Superficial ulnar artery, bilateral and antebrachial. Similarities and differences. Int J Morphol 36(3):997–1001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghosh B, Yadav S, Budhiraja V, Dass PK, Rastogi R, Chowdhury S (2016) Anatomical variation of the ulnar artery: clinical and developmental significance. J Morphol Sci 33(1):029–031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanada M, Kadota H, Matsunobu T, Shimada E, Iwamoto Y (2015) Non-anatomical reconstruction of lateral ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow after tumor resection. Strategies Trauma Limb Reconstr 10(3):195–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kachlik D, Hajek P, Konarik M, Krchov M, Baca V (2016) Coincidence of superficial brachiomedian artery and bitendinous palmaris longus: a case report. Surg Radiol Anat 38(1):147–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakatani T, Tanaka S, Mizukami S (1998) Superficial ulnar artery originating from the brachial artery and its clinical importance. Surg Radiol Anat 20(5):383–385

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Narayanan S, Murugan S (2017) Bifurcation of brachial artery into a common radial-interosseous trunk and superficial ulnar artery: a rare variation. Anat Sci Int.

  • Poteat WL (1986) Report of a rare human variation: absence of the radial artery. Anat Rec 214(1):89–95

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Quadros LS, Bhat N, D’Souza AS (2015) Superficial ulnar artery: a case report of its unusual course. Malays J Med Sci 22(3):65–67

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sato K, Murakami K, Mimata Y, Kikuchi Y, Oikawa R, Doita M (2018) Superficial ulnar artery crossing over the palmaris longus tendon at the wrist in a cadaver: a case report. J Hand Surg Asian Pac 23(1):137–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Senanayake KJ, Salgado S, Rathnayake MJ, Fernando R, Somarathne K (2007) A rare variant of the superficial ulnar artery, and its clinical implications: a case report. J Med Case Rep 1:128–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sieg P, Jacobsen HC, Hakim SG, Hermes D (2006) Superficial ulnar artery: curse or blessing in harvesting fasciocutaneous forearm flaps. Head Neck 28(5):447–452

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soltani AM, Peric M, Francis CS, Nguyen TTJ, Chan LS, Ghiassi A, Stevanovic MV, Wong AK (2012) The variation in the absence of the palmaris longus in a multiethnic population of the United States: an epidemiological study. Plast Surg Int 2012:1–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Standring S (2016) GRAY’S anatomy the anatomical basis of clinical practice. Elsevier Limited.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would sincerely thank all the cadavers for body donors to the research. My completion of this project could not have been accomplished without the support of School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Thailand. Finally, we would like to thank Professor George Harrett Aigla, M.D., a visiting professor at Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand for English proofing.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laorrat Phuapittayalert.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sakulsak, N., Phuapittayalert, L. An unusual topographic relationship between high origin of superficial ulnar artery and bitendinous palmaris longus. Anat Sci Int 96, 577–581 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-021-00608-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-021-00608-9

Keywords

Navigation