Anterior compartment of arm & cubital fossa

1. ANTERIOR COMPARTMENT OF
ARM & CUBITAL FOSSA
Dr.N.Mugunthan. MS,DNB,MNAMS,PhD,MBA (Hosp.Admin.)
Professor of Anatomy
SMIMS

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
 Muscles of front of arm
 Nerve supply & actions
 Cubital fossa
 Boundaries
 Contents
 Applied anatomy
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

3. FAQ
 Musculocutaneous nerve
 Biceps brachi muscle
 Brachialis muscle
 Cubital fossa
 Median cubital vein
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

4. ARM OR BRACHIUM
 Arm extends from the
shoulder joint to the
elbow joint.
 Medial & lateral
intermuscular septa
divide the arm into an
anterior or flexor
compartment and
posterior or extensor
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

5. FLEXOR COMPARTMENT OF ARM
Muscles
• Coracobrachialis
• Biceps brachii
• Brachialis
Nerves in the arm
• Musculocutaneous nerve
(nerve of the arm)
• Median nerve
• Ulnar nerve
• Radial nerve
Artery
• Brachial artery
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

6. MUSCLES OF
ANTERIOR COMPARTMENT OF ARM
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

7. CORACOBRACHIALIS
 Origin: tip of the
coracoid process
with conjoint
origin of short
head of biceps
 Insertion: medial
border of the
middle of the shaft
of the humerus
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

8. Nerve supply
 Musculocutaneous
nerve
 Coracobrachialis is
pierced by
musculocutaneous
nerve
Action
 Flexes the arm
CORACOBRACHIALIS CONT….
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

9. CORACOBRACHIALIS

10. BICEPS BRACHII
 Origin:
 Short head:
From Coracoid process
with conjoint origin of
coracobrachialis
 Long head:
Intracapsular
origin- supraglenoid
tubercle of scapula
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

11.  The tendon of Long
head of biceps curves
above the humeral head
 Pierces the capsule
 Courses beneath
transverse humeral
ligament
 Lodges in the
intertubercular sulcus
(bicipital groove)
BICEPS BRACHII CONT….
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

12.  Long head fuses with
short head to form a
muscle belly about 7
cm above elbow joint.
BICEPS BRACHII CONT….
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

13. INSERTION OF BICEPS BRACHI
 Muscle belly turns to
a tendon which runs
in cubital fossa.
 Inserted to posterior
part of radial
tuberosity in a
twisted manner
 Before insertion
medial part expand to
form bicipital
aponeurosis
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

14. Nerve Supply:
Musculocutaneous
nerve
Action:
1. Powerful supinator
2. Flexor of elbow joint
3. Long head keeps
humeral head inside
the glenoid cavity
during abduction of
shoulder joint
BICEPS BRACHII CONT….
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

15. APPLIED ANATOMY OF BICEPS
 Biceps jerk
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

16. APPLIED ANATOMY OF BICEPS CONT….
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

17. BRACHIALIS
Origin
• Lower part of the
anteromedial and
anterolateral surface of
the humerus
• From the lower part of
spiral groove
• From medial
intermuscular septum
Insertion
• Ulnar tuberosity &
coronaoid process of ulna
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

18. Nerve supply - Dual
 Major part of muscle
supplied by
musculocutaneous
nerve
 Small lateral part
supplied by radial nerve
Action:
Flexes elbow joint
BRACHIALIS CONT….
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

19. SUMMARY OF MUSCLES OF FRONT OF ARM

20. MUSCULOCUTANEOUS NERVE

21. SUMMARY OF MUSCLES OF FRONT OF ARM
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

22. CUBITAL FOSSA
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

23.  Definition
 Situation
 Shape
 Boundaries
 Contents
 Applied significance
CUBITAL FOSSA CONT…
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

24. CUBITAL FOSSA
 Definition:
a triangular space in
front of the elbow
joint
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

25. Boundaries :
 Base
 Lateral
 Medial
 Apex
 Roof
 Floor
CUBITAL FOSSA CONT…
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

26. CUBITAL FOSSA CONT…
Boundaries:
1. Base: an imaginary line
between the 2
epicondyles of humerus
2. Laterally: medial
border of brachioradialis
3. Medially: lateral border
of pronator teres
4. Apex: brachioradialis
overlaps pronator teres
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

27. CUBITAL FOSSA CONT…
Roof:
1. Skin
2. Superficial fascia
containing: cephalic vein,
lateral cutaneous nerve of
forearm, basilic vein,
medial cutaneous nerve of
forearm & medial cubital
vein
3. Deep fascia
4. Bicipital aponeurosis
Floor:
1. Brachialis (medially)
2. Supinator (laterally)
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

28. Contents:
From medial to lateral:
(MBBS)
1. Median nerve
2. Termination of
Brachial artery &
beginning of radial &
ulnar arteries
3. Tendon of Biceps
brachii
4. Superficial branch of
Radial nerve
CUBITAL FOSSA CONT…
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

29. Applied anatomy:
 Median cubital vein
 Blood pressure
measurement
CUBITAL FOSSA cont….
© Dr.N.Mugunthan

30. MEDIAN CUBITAL VEIN

31. TAKE HOME MESSAGE
 Musculocutaneous nerve
 Biceps brachi muscle
 Brachialis muscle
 Cubital fossa
 Median cubital vein
© Dr.N.Mugunthan