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Anatomic characterization of the humeral nutrient artery: Application to fracture and surgery of the humerus

Anatomic characterization of the humeral nutrient artery varies among the several textbooks on human anatomy. To clarify the anatomic characteristics of the humeral nutrient artery, we reexamined its origin and course by cadaveric dissection. In typical cases, one prominent nutrient foramen was situated on the anteromedial surface of the humeral shaft, and the nutrient canal distally penetrated the cortical bone layer. The humeral nutrient artery originated from the brachial artery below the level of the nutrient foramen as a short ascending branch. On reaching near the nutrient foramen, the humeral nutrient artery formed a hairpin loop on the periosteum to enter into the nutrient foramen. In some cases, an accessory nutrient foramen was also found near the groove for the radial nerve on the posterior surface of the humerus. This accessory nutrient foramen received an accessory humeral nutrient artery that originated from the radial collateral artery. The present findings corresponded well with the descriptions in the anatomy textbooks published in English‐speaking countries. However, textbooks published in German‐speaking countries describe only one type of humeral nutrient artery, the branch of the profunda brachii artery. Terminologia Anatomica, the international standard in human anatomic terminology, most likely adopted the description in the German anatomy textbooks, and thus, it is necessary to correct the position of the humeral nutrient artery in the hierarchy of Terminologia Anatomica for accurate morphological description. Clin. Anat. 30:978–987, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.