Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Vascularized Composite Upper Limb Allograft Harvesting for Proximal Arm Allotransplantation
Published on: June 13, 2025
Intraosseous blood supply to the distal humerus
Jon P Kimball1, Frank Glowczewskie, Thomas W Wright
1Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32607, USA.
Purpose:
Nonunion of the distal humerus after fracture or osteotomy is uncommon but can present an important clinical problem. Vascular insufficiency of bone may be an important contributing factor. The purpose of this study was to describe the intraosseous vascular anatomy of the distal humerus.
Methods:
Nine fresh-frozen upper extremity cadaver specimens were injected with India ink and Ward's blue latex solution. A modified Spalteholz technique was used to show the intraosseous vascular anatomy.
Results:
The distal humeral diaphysis was supplied by a single nutrient artery. The lateral column was supplied predominately by posterior segmental vessels, whereas the medial column was supplied by anterior and posterior segmental vessels. The trochlea, olecranon fossa, and coronoid fossa were watershed areas.
Conclusions:
Our study shows the intraosseous vascular anatomy of the distal humerus is relatively consistent. There also appears to be a consistent trochlear vessel medially and small anterior perforating vessels in the lateral column that have not previously been described.
Related Concept Videos
Arteries of the Upper Limbs
Bones of the Upper Limb: Humerus
Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...
Bones of the Upper Limb: Ulna
Bones of the Upper Limb: Radius
The radius has a nail-shaped head, and a short...
Muscles that Move the Arm
The pectoralis major has two origins. Its clavicular head originates on the medial half of the clavicle. In contrast, the sternocostal head originates on the costal cartilages of ribs 1-6, the sternum, and the aponeurosis of the external oblique of the...
