Anomaly of the ulnar artery arising from the brachial artery

A high origin of the ulnar artery was encountered in the body of an 87-year-old Japanese man in the course of normal anatomic dissection at Nara Medical University. The left ulnar artery originated from the brachial artery at the height of the left inferior angle of the left scapula and passed medially to the brachial artery and the median nerve. In the forearm, the ulnar artery passed deep to the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle. Thereafter, the two branches from the ulnar artery contributed to form the superficial and deep palmar arterial arches. The left brachial artery was divided into two terminal branches of the radial and common interosseous arteries.