A variation in the origin, course and blood supply of the posterior circumflex humeral artery

Abstract

Learning ordinary anatomy is an essential part of medical training. New knowledge about anatomical variations helps surgeons to improve their surgical techniques and avoid complications. The posterior circumflex humeral artery usually arises from the axillary artery and passes through the quadrilateral space along with the axillary nerve. In our study, we introduce a human cadaver specimen with unusual arterial variation. In this case, instead of passing through the quadrilateral space, the posterior circumflex humeral artery coursed along the lower edge of the teres major muscle to the surgical neck of the humerus. In our data, the posterior circumflex humeral artery arose from brachial artery and the branches of this artery supplied the deltoid muscle, teres minor and infraspinatus tendons, and the lower part of the long head of the triceps brachii muscle.