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Bicipital aponeurosis



Bicipital aponeurosis
Superficial muscles of the chest and front of the arm. (Lacertus fibrosus visible as white band at lower right.)
Latin aponeurosis musculi bicipitis brachii
Gray's subject #124 444
Dorlands/Elsevier a_53/12146729

The bicipital aponeurosis (also known as lacertus fibrosus) is a broad aponeurosis of the biceps brachii which is located in the cubital fossa of the elbow and separates superficial from deep structures in much of the fossa.

The bicipital aponeurosis originates from the distal insertion of the biceps brachii. While the tendon of the biceps inserts on the radius, the aponeurosis stretches from the medial side of the biceps tendon and passes obliquely downward and medially across the brachial artery. It is continuous with the antebrachial fascia covering the origins of the flexor muscles of the forearm.

The aponeurosis reinforces the cubital fossa, and helps to protect the brachial artery and the median nerve running underneath. This protection is important during venipuncture (taking blood) from the median cubital vein.

Some individuals (about 3% of the population) have a superficial ulnar artery that runs superficially to the bicipital aponeurosis instead of underneath it. These individuals are at risk for accidental injury to the ulnar artery during venipuncture. [1]

Additional images

References

  1. ^ The superficial ulnar artery--a potential hazard in patients with difficult venous access -- Chin and Singh 94 (5): 692 -- British Journal of Anaesthesia. Retrieved on 2008-01-05.

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Bicipital_aponeurosis". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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