Anatomical variations in the formation, course and distribution of brachial plexus are well documented. The present report describes some rare variations with regard to relation of cords of brachial plexus, median and ulnar nerves with the third part of axillary artery and brachial artery in the left upper limb of an adult male cadaver. All three cords of brachial plexus were noted to be latera...

The median artery usually regresses after the eighth week of intrauterine life, but in some cases it persists into adulthood. The persistent median artery (PMA) passes through the carpal tunnel of the wrist, accompanying the median nerve. During anatomical dissection in our department, we found two unilateral cases of PMA originating from the ulnar artery. In both cases the PMA passed through t...

RATIONALE Retinoic acid (RA) and its mediated nuclear receptor signaling have broad protective effects on vascular systems. Whether circulating levels of RA are associated with mortality in patients with coronary artery disease is still unknown. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of circulating RA with the risk of mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS We measured serum RA concentrations in 1499...

BACKGROUND Our aim was to compare the electron-beam CT (EBCT) features of coronary arteries in heart transplant recipients with those of biplane coronary angiography and intracoronary ultrasound (ICUS). METHODS AND RESULTS We examined 112 heart transplant recipients (25 female; age, 17 to 69 years; median, 52 years) 1 to 153 months (median, 46 months) after surgery by EBCT to detect coronary ...

  Background: Previous anatomic and radiological studies have described the relationship of the clavicle to major neurovascular structures in healthy subjects. We were curious about this relationship in patients with a clavicle fracture and if it is different from non-fractured clavicles.   Methods: We retrospectively identified all patients with a clavicle fracture between July 2001 and Octobe...

In a female cadaver unilateral variations were found in upper limb arterial system - as (1) high-up origin of ulnar artery at arm, (2) persistent prominent arteria nervii mediana or median artery, (3) common interosseous artery branching out of brachial artery. Literature review revealed these coexistent anomalies as the consequence of aberrant finalization of the path chosen by axis arterial n...

INTRODUCTION The axillary artery presents abnormalities in its origin and course and a variable branching. CASE DESCRIPTION A rare case of axillary artery bifurcation and branching was observed in a 60-years-old European male cadaver of Greek origin. The right axillary artery at the second part was bifurcated into a superficial and a deep brachial artery. The superficial brachial artery anter...