Proximity of arteries to the anterior ulna with changing flexion

During surgery for elbow fracture, wires and screws crossing the elbow from posterior to anterior place the brachial and ulnar arteries at risk for inadvertent penetration. The authors' goal was to define the sagittal proximity of the brachial and ulnar arteries to the proximal ulna throughout an arc of elbow motion using dynamic fluoroscopy. The brachial artery was injected with barium in 10 fresh-frozen cadaveric elbows. Sagittal fluoroscopic images were obtained at elbow flexion angles of 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°, and 120°. Two measurements were obtained at each flexion angle: (1) the distance between the coronoid tip and the brachial artery and (2) the distance between the coronoid base and the ulnar artery. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare mean distances for each flexion angle within each measurement group. A coronal image identified the mediolateral course of the brachial artery. The distance from the coronoid tip to the brachial artery significantly increased with increasing flexion from 0° to 60° (P<.001). The distance from the ulnar artery to the coronoid base significantly increased with increasing flexion from 0° to 120° (P<.002). The brachial artery traversed lateral to the coronoid in 9 of 10 specimens. The brachial and ulnar arteries are located further from the coronoid with increasing elbow flexion to at least 60°, and the brachial artery is typically located lateral to the coronoid in the coronal plane. These measurements can be used as surgical guides to reduce the risk of arterial injury during olecranon fracture surgery.