Cubital fossa
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Stephanie BM Tan had no recorded disclosures.
View Stephanie BM Tan's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Yoshi Yu had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Yoshi Yu's current disclosures- Antecubital fossa
- Antecubital fossae
- Cubital fossae
The cubital fossa (a.k.a. antecubital fossa) (plural: fossae) is an inverted triangular space that forms the transition between the arm and the forearm. It is located anterior to the elbow joint.
The terms cubital/antecubital fossa are also used in surface anatomy for the skin overlying this region.
Gross anatomy
Boundaries
superior: the line joining the medial and lateral humeral epicondyles (epicondylar line)
lateral: medial border of brachioradialis
medial: lateral border of pronator teres
apex: formed by the meeting of the lateral and medial boundaries (proximal intersection of the brachioradialis and pronator teres)
-
roof:
deep fascia of forearm reinforced medially by the bicipital aponeurosis
medial cutaneous nerve of forearm; lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm
floor: brachialis muscle (medial), and supinator muscle (lateral) 1
Contents
From medial to lateral:
brachial artery and brachial veins (venae comitantes)
posterior interosseous branch of radial nerve
The order can be recalled using this mnemonic.
References
- 1. Mcminn. Last's Anatomy. Elsevier Australia. (2003) ISBN:0729537528. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Robert H. Whitaker, Neil R. Borley. Instant Anatomy. ISBN: 9780632054039
Incoming Links
- Radial artery
- Median cubital vein
- Distal biceps tendon injury
- Ulnar artery
- Radial vein
- Contents of the cubital fossa (mnemonic)
- Chest x-ray: PICC position (summary)
- Median antebrachial vein
- Ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous cannulation
- Elbow bursae
- Brachial artery
- Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis
- Brachioradial artery
- Congenital radial head dislocation
- Musculocutaneous nerve
- Ulnar vein
- Brachial vein
- Lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm
- Median nerve
- Supinator muscle
Related articles: Anatomy: Upper limb
-
skeleton of the upper limb
- clavicle
- scapula
- humerus
- radius
- ulna
- hand
- accessory ossicles of the upper limb
- accessory ossicles of the shoulder
- accessory ossicles of the elbow
-
accessory ossicles of the wrist (mnemonic)
- os centrale carpi
- os epilunate
- os epitriquetrum
- os styloideum
- os hamuli proprium
- lunula
- os triangulare
- trapezium secondarium
- os paratrapezium
- os radiostyloideum (persistent radial styloid)
- joints of the upper limb
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pectoral girdle
-
shoulder joint
- articulations
- associated structures
- joint capsule
- bursae
- ligaments
- movements
- scapulothoracic joint
-
glenohumeral joint
- arm flexion
- arm extension
- arm abduction
- arm adduction
- arm internal rotation (medial rotation)
- arm external rotation (lateral rotation)
- circumduction
- arterial supply - scapular anastomosis
- ossification centers
-
shoulder joint
-
elbow joint
- proximal radioulnar joint
- ligaments
- associated structures
- movements
- alignment
- arterial supply - elbow anastomosis
- development
-
wrist joint
- articulations
-
ligaments
- intrinsic ligaments
- extrinsic ligaments
- radioscaphoid ligament
- dorsal intercarpal ligament
- dorsal radiotriquetral ligament
- dorsal radioulnar ligament
- volar radioulnar ligament
- radioscaphocapitate ligament
- long radiolunate ligament
- Vickers ligament
- short radiolunate ligament
- ulnolunate ligament
- ulnotriquetral ligament
- ulnocapitate ligament
- ulnar collateral ligament
- associated structures
- extensor retinaculum
- flexor retinaculum
- joint capsule
- movements
- alignment
- ossification centers
-
hand joints
- articulations
- carpometacarpal joint
-
metacarpophalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
-
interphalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
- movements
- ossification centers
- articulations
-
pectoral girdle
- spaces of the upper limb
- muscles of the upper limb
- shoulder girdle
- anterior compartment of the arm
- posterior compartment of the arm
-
anterior compartment of the forearm
- superficial
- intermediate
- deep
-
posterior compartment of the forearm (extensors)
- superficial
- deep
- muscles of the hand
-
accessory muscles
- elbow
- volar wrist midline
- palmaris longus profundus
- aberrant palmaris longus
- volar wrist radial-side
- accessory flexor digitorum superficialis indicis
- flexor indicis profundus
- flexor carpi radialis vel profundus
- accessory head of the flexor pollicis longus (Gantzer muscle, common)
- volar wrist ulnar-side
- dorsal wrist
- blood supply to the upper limb
-
arteries
- subclavian artery (mnemonic)
- axillary artery
- brachial artery (proximal portion)
- ulnar artery
- radial artery
- veins
-
arteries
- innervation of the upper limb
- intercostobrachial nerve
-
brachial plexus (mnemonic)
- branches from the roots
- branches from the trunks
- branches from the cords
- lateral cord
- posterior cord
- medial cord
- terminal branches
- lymphatic drainage of the upper limb
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