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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Superficial ulnar artery terminating in a normal ulnar artery.

Routine dissection of the left upper limb of an 86-year-old male cadaver showed a superficial ulnar artery that anastomosed with the ulnar artery. The superficial ulnar artery arose from the third part of the axillary artery, coursed distally over the flexor muscles of the forearm, and terminated by anastomosing with the ulnar artery in the distal third of the forearm. Arterial and neural variations were also observed on the contralateral side. The presence of a superficial ulnar artery is important clinically when raising forearm flaps in reconstructive surgery.

Aged, 80 and over↗
PubMed1995

Ruptured ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm.

Ulnar artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms are rare lesions that usually occur distal to the wrist and cause symptoms as a result of embolization and not rupture. An elderly woman presented with acute rupture of an ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm proximal to the wrist, which caused severe neurologic compromise as a result of bleeding into Guyon's canal and the carpal tunnel. The patient had a remote wrist fracture resulting in a deformity that allowed the ulnar head to be in proximity to the ulnar artery. Rupture of the volar capsule with chronic abrasion of the artery eventually led to pseudoaneurysm formation and subsequent rupture. Emergency operative treatment with excision of the pseudoaneurysm, ulnar artery ligation, and repair of the volar capsule resulted in complete neurologic recovery without vascular compromise. This case is unique because of the proximal location of the pseudoaneurysm and the presentation with rupture. The anatomy, pathogenesis, and treatment options are discussed. Excision of the pseudoaneurysm with repair of the torn volar capsule is recommended to avoid recurrent problems. Vascular reconstruction is needed in cases where radial arterial flow is inadequate.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Ulcerated plaque in the ulnar artery causing distal seeding of microemboli: a possible early stage of ulnar artery thrombosis.

Angiography of a patient presenting with ischemia of the ring and small fingers, but with patent arterial inflow through the ulnar artery on Allen's test, demonstrated stenosis of the ulnar artery just distal to Guyon's canal. Surgical exploration revealed a discrete ulcerated plaque with an overlying loosely adherent thrombus. An ulcerated plaque in one of the main inflow arteries to the hand may produce ischemia of the fingers by seeding microemboli distally into the digital arteries. This pathophysiologic mechanism may represent a very early phase of incipient or impending thrombosis of the ulnar artery and may eventually progress to complete thrombosis. Early recognition and treatment by resection of the involved arterial segment and microsurgical reconstruction may prevent the evolution to complete ulnar artery thrombosis.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Doppler ultrasound diagnosis of a superficial ulnar artery.

The ulnar artery may lie in a superficial position in the forearm as a normal anatomical variant. We report a case where this variant was clinically mistaken for phlebitis but was diagnosed correctly with Doppler ultrasound. In this report, we discuss the anatomy and clinical relevance of the superficial ulnar artery.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Are the effects of local joint movement on blood flow limited to the vertebral and internal carotid arteries? Doppler studies of the ulnar artery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine what effect wrist extension has on ulnar artery blood flow. DESIGN AND SETTING: This is a descriptive study performed at a private chiropractic clinic. SUBJECT SELECTION: Sixty-three ulnar arteries were examined from thirty-two volunteers, 15 men and 17 women, whose ages ranged from 21-75 yr. Only wrists that were asymptomatic and freely mobile were candidates for ulnar artery examination. INTERVENTION: The arteries were insonated approximately 2 cm proximal to the pisiform bone using a continuous-wave Doppler flow meter in the neutral position and during passive wrist extension to the limit with the fingers straightened. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The persistence or loss of Doppler signals. RESULTS: Doppler signals from 83% (0.99 confidence interval: 68% < p < 93%) of arteries stopped. In 4% of vessels, the signals were markedly reduced; in 13%, they remained apparently unchanged. CONCLUSION: Blood flow in ulnar arteries can be severely restricted during wrist extension. By using Doppler ultrasound, the ulnar artery may provide a good model of local joint movement effects on arterial blood flow.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

An unusual variation of the superficial ulnar artery.

Anomalous superficial ulnar arteries were found bilaterally during routine dissection of the upper limbs of a 60-year-old male cadaver. In the left arm, the superficial ulnar artery originated from the axillary artery. It crossed the median nerve anteriorly and ran anteromedial to this nerve and the brachial artery. The superficial ulnar artery was also rudimentary and gave rise to only a narrow muscular branch to the biceps brachii. In the hand, it anastomosed with the radial artery, completing the superficial palmar arch. The radial artery was larger than usual and the deep palmar arch was formed only by the radial artery. In the right arm, the superficial ulnar artery originated from the brachial artery at the level of the inter-epicondylar line. Additionally there were "inverse palmaris longus muscles" bilaterally. This was a rare case in which the superficially ulnar artery originated from a different source on each side accompanied by anomalies of the palmar arches on one side.

Arm↗
PubMed2002

Alternative arterial catheterization site using the ulnar artery in critically ill pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the patterns of usage and associated complications among radial, femoral, and ulnar artery catheters in the pediatric intensive care unit to ascertain the utility of the ulnar artery as an alternative vessel of peripheral cannulation. DESIGN: A 4-yr retrospective review of all admissions to the pediatric intensive care unit to identify all patients with ulnar, radial, or femoral arterial catheterization. SETTING: Pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary care pediatric center. PATIENTS: A total of 124 critically ill pediatric patients (age, 0.4-36 mos) were identified. INTERVENTIONS: Ulnar and radial artery catheters were either 22 gauge or 24 gauge, femoral artery catheters were 2.5 Fr, 2.5 cm, or 3 Fr, 5 cm, in size. All catheters were percutaneously inserted. The ulnar artery was typically used when attempts at common peripheral sites were unsuccessful. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 18 ulnar, 103 radial, and 69 femoral artery cannulations were identified. The ulnar artery catheter duration ranged from 1 to 19 days (mean, 4.2 +/- 4.2 days), radial artery duration ranged from 1 to 24 days (mean, 5.3 +/- 4.2 days), and femoral artery duration ranged from 1 to 21 days (mean, 6.9 +/- 4.5 days). Ischemia as the reason for catheter removal was 5.6%, 3.9%, and 8.7% for ulnar, radial, and femoral arterial catheters, respectively. The catheter-related infection rate was 0%, 0.97%, and 4.3% for ulnar, radial, and femoral arterial catheters, respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on the ischemic and infectious complication rates, the ulnar artery should be considered as a viable site for peripheral vessel cannulation in cases in which arterial catheterization is necessary and attempts at more common sites of catheterization are unsuccessful.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Superficial ulnar artery flap.

Superficial ulnar artery is a known abnormality. It replaces the normal ulnar artery and has a superficial course. Its accidental division during the raising of the radial forearm flap can seriously jeopardize hand circulation. The presence of this vessel can be diagnosed preoperatively by careful palpation, and its course can be confirmed by vascular Doppler. This abnormality was found in 9.38 percent of upper limbs in cadaver dissections. A similar incidence of 9.12 percent was observed in clinical practice. Superficial ulnar artery gives several good-sized fasciocutaneous branches in the forearm. A type C fasciocutaneous flap, similar to a radial forearm flap, can be raised with safety on this anomalous vessel. Over the past 4 years, six such flaps have been raised. The largest fap was 24 x 12 cm. The flaps can be made neurosensory. Palmaris longus muscle can be raised with the flap for bulk or as an active motor unit. The extralong pedicle with good-sized vessels makes free-flap transfer safe. The donor site heals uneventfully. The presence of this abnormality can be a trap to an unsuspecting surgeon but is in fact a boon if diagnosed in time.

Foot↗
PubMed1993

Traumatic pseudoaneurysm in an ulnar artery vein graft.

Ulnar artery thrombosis is well reported but treatment recommendations still vary. We report the 10-year follow-up of a vein graft used to treat a patient with ulnar artery thrombosis. The graft remained patent until the tenth year, when the patient sustained a blunt hyperextension injury to the involved wrist and developed a pseudoaneurysm of the vein graft. The pseudoaneurysm was found to be in the graft itself and not at the anastomosis. The vein graft thrombosed and was successfully treated with resection of the thrombosed vessel, embolectomy of the superficial palmer arch, and replacement with a new vein graft.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

High division of the axillary artery. A rare case of superficial ulnar artery.

A case is presented here in which the axillary artery divided into two branches, the lateral branch being situated more deeply with respect to the medial branch. The superficial branch gave rise to only thin muscular branches in the arm and coursed along the ulnar artery in the forearm but did not provide the branches which should arise from this artery. On the other hand, the deeply coursing artery provided the branches of the brachial artery in the arm and from the cubital fossa downwards it provided the branches which normally arise from the ulnar artery.

Axillary Artery↗
PubMed2000

Bilateral radial artery pseudoaneurysms associated with bilateral ulnar artery atresia: a case report.

Pseudoaneurysms of the radial artery are uncommon and most often localized in an area of penetrating vascular trauma or iatrogenic injury. Hypoplasia of the ulnar artery is even more rare. We report a case of bilateral radial artery pseudoaneurysms associated with complete absence of any ulnar contribution to the vascularity of the hand. A patient presented with bilateral tender masses adjacent to the anatomic snuff boxes that interfered with hand function. After confirming that these masses were bilateral radial artery pseudoaneurysms, resection of the pseudoaneurysms and microscopic reconstruction of the arterial segments preserved vascular integrity of the hands and provided relief of the patient's pain.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Nontraumatic pseudoaneurysm of the proximal ulnar artery with eosinophilia.

Proximal ulnar artery aneurysms, including pseudoaneurysms, have not been described in the English literature. We report a nontraumatic pseudoaneurysm of the proximal ulnar artery with eosinophilia in a 54-year-old man. Radial, coronary, and hepatic artery aneurysms associated with eosinophilia in idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome or allergic granulomatous angiitis (Churg Strauss syndrome) have been reported. Although it is unclear in the present case whether eosinophilia was associated with the pseudoaneurysm of the ulnar artery, eosinophil infiltration into the aneurysmal wall may have influenced vascular injury as the cause of the pseudoaneurysm formation.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗
PubMed2002

Ulnar artery involvement in systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).

OBJECTIVE: Microvascular disease is one of the hallmarks of systemic sclerosis (SSc, scleroderma), but macrovascular involvement also exists in some patients. Patients with SSc may have severe Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) characterized by refractory digital ulcerations. We investigated if large artery involvement, that is, ulnar artery occlusion, has a role in the development of refractory digital ulcerations, and if both screening for this involvement and revascularization of the ulnar artery occlusive disease may improve digital ulcer healing. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of 15 patients with SSc, all of whom had severe RP and digital ulceration, together with a positive Allen test and ulnar artery occlusive disease documented by angiography. RESULTS: Women outnumbered men 2:1, with limited disease predominating (7), 5 patients having diffuse cutaneous disease and 3 overlap syndromes. All patients had positive antinuclear antibody and capillary microscopy findings consistent with SSc. Antiphospholipid antibodies were present in 4 of 6 patients tested. Tobacco use was seen in 5 patients, only 2 of whom were current smokers. All patients failed conventional medical therapy (nitrates, calcium channel blockers, antiplatelet agents) for RP and digital ulceration. Only 1/8 patients improved with stellate ganglion block, and one patient had no improvement following digital sympathectomy. Eight patients underwent ulnar artery revascularization combined with digital sympathectomy, and 8 experienced dramatic improvement in RP and healing of digital ulcers. CONCLUSION: An Allen test should be performed routinely on all SSc patients with severe RP and refractory digital ulceration to investigate the possibility of ulnar artery occlusive disease. If suspected ulnar artery occlusion is confirmed by angiography or ultrasonography, ulnar artery revascularization with or without digital sympathectomy should be considered in patients who fail conventional medical therapy.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed2004

Hypothenar hammer syndrome: Distal ulnar artery reconstruction with autologous inferior epigastric artery.

Digital artery embolization and ulnar artery thrombosis are consequences of repetitive trauma and can lead to digit loss and debility from ischemia and cold intolerance. We postulate that an arterial autograft is a theoretically superior conduit to traditional saphenous vein, and report reconstruction with inferior epigastric artery. Three adult male smokers, ages 39 to 49 years, had severe digital ischemia and cold-induced vasospasm. Arteriograms confirmed occlusion of the distal ulnar artery without direct perfusion of the superficial palmar arch, distal digital artery embolization, and normal proximal vasculature. All reconstructions were performed from the distal most patent ulnar artery at the wrist to the superficial palmar arch (1 patient) or sequentially to the involved common digital arteries (2 patients), with inferior epigastric artery. Handling characteristics and size match between the arterial autografts and bypassed arteries was excellent. Patency has been confirmed with duplex scanning at follow-up of 8 to 24 months, with resolution of cold intolerance and successful digital preservation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The superficial ulnar artery originating from the left brachial artery.

An anomalous superficial ulnar artery was found in the left arm of a 60-year-old man during anatomical dissection. It originated from the brachial artery approximately 6 cm distally to profound brachial artery. It crossed over the median nerve and coursed ventral to the nerve, but inferior to the bicipital aponeurosis and superficial to the flexor muscles. At the palm, it formed the superficial and deep palmar arches together with the branches of the radial artery. The clinical importance of the anomalous ulnar artery is discussed.

Brachial Artery↗
PubMed1998

Ulnar artery as a coronary bypass graft.

BACKGROUND: The ulnar artery has been used as a coronary bypass graft in 8 patients when it was deemed unsafe to harvest the radial artery after evaluation of the arterial circulation in the forearm and hand. METHODS: The ulnar artery was removed from the lower three quarters of the forearm, along with its satellite veins. Dissection was commenced distally near the wrist and extended proximally to where the ulnar artery passed between the two heads of origin of the flexor digitorum superficialis. The artery was divided distally above the wrist joint and proximally at a point immediately below the origin of the common interosseus artery. RESULTS: Ten ulnar arteries were removed for use as coronary artery bypass grafts; two were rejected, one because of severe calcification and the other because of atherosclerotic occlusion. The remaining eight ulnar arteries were grafted successfully to coronary arteries other than the left anterior descending. No early hand or cardiac complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The ulnar artery is an alternative coronary artery bypass graft that may be used when the radial artery is dominant and cannot be removed without risk. The ulnar artery is in close proximity to the ulnar nerve and harvesting has the potential to injure the nerve. Therefore, until the use of the ulnar artery has been more fully evaluated it should be used only when other options have been exhausted.

Aged↗