Cardiovascular system · Upper limb
Brachial veins !
The brachial veins are paired deep veins on each side of the brachial artery in the upper arm; they drain the deep tissues of the arm.
Opens in the Durgical app, no sign-up needed.
What it is
Paired deep veins that run beside the brachial artery.
What it does
Drain the deep tissues of the arm.
Key facts
- Drains
- Radial and ulnar veins (paired companions of the brachial artery)
- Into
- Axillary vein (with the basilic)
Relations
- Course
- Formed near the elbow by the radial and ulnar veins, they ascend on both sides of the brachial artery and join the basilic vein near the lower border of teres major to form the axillary vein
- Medial
- The basilic vein from mid-arm; the ulnar nerve in the upper arm
How to find it
Not palpable. On ultrasound of the medial arm they appear as two small veins on either side of the brachial artery in the groove medial to the biceps; they collapse under probe pressure, which is how a clot is ruled out.
On imaging
On ultrasound they are two small compressible veins on either side of the brachial artery; a vein that does not compress suggests a clot.
Clinical notes
- Upper limb deep vein thrombosis, usually linked to catheters or pacemaker leads, can involve them
- When the cephalic and basilic veins are unsuitable, a brachial vein can be transposed to build a dialysis fistula
- A PICC line is often placed under ultrasound into the basilic vein or a brachial vein; at the brachial site the needle passes close to the artery and the median nerve
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
How are the brachial veins arranged around the brachial artery?
Two companion veins (venae comitantes), one on each side, joined by small cross-links over it.
What helps push blood upward in the brachial veins?
The beat of the brachial artery inside their shared sheath.
Why does using the brachial veins for a PICC carry more risk than using the basilic vein?
They lie beside the median nerve and the brachial artery.
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Its names
- Official Latin (TA2)
- venae brachiales TA2 4982
- Official Spanish (DeCS)
- Venas braquiales
- English (TA2)
- Brachial veins
Related
Sources: Terminologia Anatomica (TA2); Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Veins.
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.
