Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026

Vascularized Composite Hand Allograft Procurement and Preparation for Distal and Proximal Forearm Allotransplantation: A Stepwise Approach
Published on: May 23, 2025
Uncommon course of the ulnar artery through the pronator teres muscle
K Vymazalova1, L Vargova1, M Joukal1
1Division of Medical Anthropology, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
Abstract:
In this paper, we describe a very rare variant in the course of the ulnar artery that we encountered in dissecting the right upper limb of a 74-year-old man. The ulnar artery arose standardly from the brachial artery in the cubital fossa. However, its ensuing course differed from the norm. The artery entered together with the ulnar vein and median nerve into the pronator canal (between the humeral and ulnar heads of the pronator teres). Further, the ulnar artery descended classically to the ulnar side of the forearm between the flexor carpi ulnaris and flexor digitorum superficialis. Knowledge of this variation in the course of the ulnar artery may have significance in clinical practice because accumulation of anatomical structures in the pronator canal could be a predisposing factor for the compression of nerve or blood vessels.
Related Concept Videos
Bones of the Upper Limb: Ulna
Muscles that Move the Forearm
Forearm Flexors
The biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis are forearm flexors. The biceps brachii is made up of two heads. Its long head originates at the supraglenoid tubercle of the scapula, whereas that of the short head is...
Bones of the Upper Limb: Radius
The radius has a nail-shaped head, and a...
Spinal Nerves: Plexus I
The Cervical Plexus
The cervical plexus, formed by the anterior rami of the first four...
Muscles of the Forearm that Move the Hand and Fingers
Anterior Compartment
The anterior compartment muscles originate from the humerus. They primarily function as flexors and are also known as flexor muscles. They typically insert on the carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges. The superficial layer includes the flexor carpi...
Arteries of the Upper Limbs

