The humerus has an upper end with a head, neck, and two tubercles. The shaft has three borders and three surfaces. The lower end has two epicondyles, three fossae, a capitulum, and trochlea. Fractures of the humerus are common at the surgical neck, mid-shaft near the radial groove, medial epicondyle, and supracondylar region where the axillary nerve, radial nerve, ulnar nerve, brachial artery, and other structures are at risk of damage. The angle of torsion and carrying angle also have clinical significance.

2. GROSS FEATURES OF
HUMERUS
Dr. Atif Raza

3. Objectives:
At the end of the session, Students will be able to understand:
• Gross Anatomical Features of Humerus
• Site Determination
• Common Sites of Fractures
• Vessels and Nerves in Intimate Contact with Humerus
• Angle of Torsion
• Carrying Angle

4. Humerus (Gross Features)
Humerus has the following parts:
1. Upper End
2. Middle Shaft
3. Lower End

5. Upper End
It includes:
1. Head
(directed medially, backwards and upwards)
2. Tubercles (Greater & Lesser)
3. Neck
a) Anatomical Neck
b) Surgical Neck

6. Lower End
• It Includes:
1. Two Epicondyles (Medial &
Lateral)
2. Trochlea
3. Capitulum
4. Three Fossae
a) Olecranon (Posterioly)
b) Radial Fossa (Anteriorly)
c) Coronoid Fossa (Anteriorly)

7. Shaft
It has:
1. Three Borders
a) Anterior
b) Medial
c) Lateral
2. Three surfaces
a) Antero-medial
b) Antero-lateral
c) Posterior

8. SITE DETERMINATION
• The upper end is rounded to form the
head.
• The lower end is expanded from side to
side and flattened from before
backwards.
• The head is directed medially and
backwards.
• The lesser tubercle projects from the
front of the upper end and is limited
laterally by the intertuberacular sulcus
(bicipital groove)

9. NERVES & ARTERIES LIABLE TO DAMAGE IN
FRACTURE OF HUMERUS
At surgical neck:
1. Axillary Nerve
2. Poeterior circumflex humeral
artery
At Mid Shaft (Radial Groove):
1. Radial Nerve
2. Profunda brachii artery
At Medial Epicondyle:
1. Ulnar Nerve
2. Ulnar Collateral artery
At Supra condylar Region:
1. Median Nerve
2. Brachial artery

10. Angle of Torsion
It is the angulation b/w the long
axis of the articular surfaces of
upper and lower end of Humerus.

11. Carrying Angle
The angle made by the axes of the arm and the
forearm, with the elbow in full extension.
• Male: 5o
• Female: 10-15o

12. Summary
Humerus
Upper
End
-Head
-Neck
-2 Tubercles
Shaft
-3 Borders
-3 Surfaces
Lower
End
-2 Epicondyles
-3 Fossae
-Capitulum
-Trochlea

13. THANK YOU