MCEM Part A Study Guide/Anatomy/Upper Limb

Joints
Sterno-Clavicular

Acromio-Clavicular

Muscles
Five of the muscles share a common origin from the medial humeral epicondyle: pronator teres, flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, palmaris longus and parts of flexor digitorum superficialis. (You do not need to know other attachments or relations in detail.)

There are three other deeper muscles in the anterior forearm:

Arteries
The brachial artery normally bifurcates in the distal cubital fossa, opposite the neck of the radius. It becomes the radial and ulnar arteries.

Radial artery
The radial artery appears, from its direction, to be the continuation of the brachial, but it is smaller in calibre than the ulnar. It commences at the bifurcation of the brachial, just below the bend of the elbow, and passes along the radial side of the forearm to the wrist. Its upper part is overlapped by the fleshy belly of the brachioradialis; the rest of the artery is superficial. It then winds backward to continue around the lateral side of the carpus.

On the palmar aspect of the distal radius, medial to the styloid process and lateral to flexor carpi radialis, a portion of the radial artery is superficial and is used clinically for observations on the pulse.

Ulnar artery
The ulnar artery begins deeply seated, lying upon brachialis and flexor digitorum profundus. Immediately below the radial tuberosity it gives rise to the common interosseous artery, which passes backward to the upper border of the interosseous membrane. It is then crossed by the median nerve, and continues on the ulnar aspect of the forearm in close relation to the ulnar nerve, lying on flexor digitorum profundus. The artery is overlapped in its middle third by flexor carpi ulnaris.

The ulnar artery pulse may be palpated distally in the forearm, lateral to flexor carpi ulnaris.