Topographical Anatomy of the Upper Limb - Listed
Alphabetically
Structure/Space Description/Boundaries Significance
adductor/interosseous a compartment in the hand bounded adductor/interosseous compartment
compartment on its palmar surface by the fascia contains the metacarpal bones, the
covering adductor pollicis m. and adductor pollicis m. and the palmar &
interosseous mm., and on its dorsal dorsal interosseous mm.
surface by the interosseous fascia
anterior (flexor) compartment bounded at its posterior anterior compartment of the arm
compartment of the arm extent by the medial and lateral contains flexor muscles of the arm
intermuscular septa and the humerus; (biceps brachii m., coracobrachialis
it is bounded anteriorly, laterally and m., brachialis m.) which are
medially by the brachial fascia innervated by the musculocutaneous
nerve
anterior (flexor) compartment bounded at its posterior anterior compartment of the forearm
compartment of the extent by the medial and lateral contains flexor muscles of the hand
forearm intermuscular septa, the radius, the (superficially - pronator teres, flexor
ulna and the interosseous membrane; carpi radialis, palmaris longus, flexor
it is bounded anteriorly, laterally and carpi ulnaris; intermediate layer -
medially by the antebrachial fascia flexor digitorum superficialis; deep
layer - flexor digitorum profundus,
flexor pollicis longus, pronator
quadratus); it also contains the
median n., ulnar n. and ulnar a.
anterior axillary fold a fold of skin and muscle with the axillary tail of the mammary gland
pectoralis major m. as its muscular courses along the anterior axillary
component fold
axilla fat-filled space located lateral to the axilla contains the infraclavicular part
thoracic wall and anterior to the of the brachial plexus (divisions,
scapula; it is bounded: superiorly by cords and terminal branches), the
the clavicle, scapula and 1st rib; axillary a. and v. and the axillary
inferiorly by the axillary fascia; lymph nodes
anteriorly by the pectoralis major and
minor mm.; posteriorly by the
subscapularis m.; laterally by the
humerus; medially by the serratus
anterior m. and thoracic wall
carpal tunnel an osseofibrous tunnel in the hand carpal tunnel contains the tendons of
, formed by the flexor retinaculum and the flexors of the digits (flexor
the carpal bones pollicis longus m., flexor digitorum
superficialis m. flexor digitorum
profundus m.) and the median nerve
which may be compressed in this
location resulting in carpal tunnel
syndrome
cubital fossa a shallow depression on the anterior the median cubital v. crosses this
surface of the elbow region; it is region and is a site for phlebotomy
bounded superiorly by an imaginary
line between the humeral
epicondyles, medially by the lateral
border of the pronator teres m. and
laterally by the medial border of the
brachioradialis m.
deltopectoral triangle a triangle in the upper chest region deltopectoral triangle is pierced by
that is bounded medially by the the cephalic vein on its course from
clavicle, superiorly by the deltoid m. the upper limb to join the axillary
and inferiorly by the pectoralis major vein in the axilla
m.
hypothenar compartment compartment in the hand bounded by hypothenar compartment contains the
the fascia covering the intrinsic short muscles of the 5th digit:
muscles of 5th digit (abductor digiti minimi m., flexor
digiti minimi brevis m., opponens
digiti minimi m.)
midpalmar space a space in the palm bounded by: midpalmar space may cause
hypothenar fascia medially and the infections to become localized in the
septum attaching the palmar palm
aponeurosis to the third metacarpal
bone laterally; palmar aponeurosis
superficially and fascia of the
interosseous mm. deeply
posterior (extensor) compartment bounded at its anterior posterior compartment of the arm
compartment of the arm extent by the medial and lateral contains the extensor muscles of the
intermuscular septa and humerus; it elbow (triceps brachii m., anconeus
is bounded posteriorly, laterally and m.), the radial n.and the deep brachial
medially by the brachial fascia a.
posterior (extensor) compartment bounded at its anterior posterior compartment of the forearm
compartment of the extent by the medial and lateral contains extensor muscles of the hand
forearm intermuscular septa, the radius, the and wrist (superficial group -
ulna and the interosseous membrane; brachioradialis m., extensor carpi
it is bounded posteriorly, laterally radialis longus m., extensor carpi
Alphabetically
Structure/Space Description/Boundaries Significance
adductor/interosseous a compartment in the hand bounded adductor/interosseous compartment
compartment on its palmar surface by the fascia contains the metacarpal bones, the
covering adductor pollicis m. and adductor pollicis m. and the palmar &
interosseous mm., and on its dorsal dorsal interosseous mm.
surface by the interosseous fascia
anterior (flexor) compartment bounded at its posterior anterior compartment of the arm
compartment of the arm extent by the medial and lateral contains flexor muscles of the arm
intermuscular septa and the humerus; (biceps brachii m., coracobrachialis
it is bounded anteriorly, laterally and m., brachialis m.) which are
medially by the brachial fascia innervated by the musculocutaneous
nerve
anterior (flexor) compartment bounded at its posterior anterior compartment of the forearm
compartment of the extent by the medial and lateral contains flexor muscles of the hand
forearm intermuscular septa, the radius, the (superficially - pronator teres, flexor
ulna and the interosseous membrane; carpi radialis, palmaris longus, flexor
it is bounded anteriorly, laterally and carpi ulnaris; intermediate layer -
medially by the antebrachial fascia flexor digitorum superficialis; deep
layer - flexor digitorum profundus,
flexor pollicis longus, pronator
quadratus); it also contains the
median n., ulnar n. and ulnar a.
anterior axillary fold a fold of skin and muscle with the axillary tail of the mammary gland
pectoralis major m. as its muscular courses along the anterior axillary
component fold
axilla fat-filled space located lateral to the axilla contains the infraclavicular part
thoracic wall and anterior to the of the brachial plexus (divisions,
scapula; it is bounded: superiorly by cords and terminal branches), the
the clavicle, scapula and 1st rib; axillary a. and v. and the axillary
inferiorly by the axillary fascia; lymph nodes
anteriorly by the pectoralis major and
minor mm.; posteriorly by the
subscapularis m.; laterally by the
humerus; medially by the serratus
anterior m. and thoracic wall
carpal tunnel an osseofibrous tunnel in the hand carpal tunnel contains the tendons of
, formed by the flexor retinaculum and the flexors of the digits (flexor
the carpal bones pollicis longus m., flexor digitorum
superficialis m. flexor digitorum
profundus m.) and the median nerve
which may be compressed in this
location resulting in carpal tunnel
syndrome
cubital fossa a shallow depression on the anterior the median cubital v. crosses this
surface of the elbow region; it is region and is a site for phlebotomy
bounded superiorly by an imaginary
line between the humeral
epicondyles, medially by the lateral
border of the pronator teres m. and
laterally by the medial border of the
brachioradialis m.
deltopectoral triangle a triangle in the upper chest region deltopectoral triangle is pierced by
that is bounded medially by the the cephalic vein on its course from
clavicle, superiorly by the deltoid m. the upper limb to join the axillary
and inferiorly by the pectoralis major vein in the axilla
m.
hypothenar compartment compartment in the hand bounded by hypothenar compartment contains the
the fascia covering the intrinsic short muscles of the 5th digit:
muscles of 5th digit (abductor digiti minimi m., flexor
digiti minimi brevis m., opponens
digiti minimi m.)
midpalmar space a space in the palm bounded by: midpalmar space may cause
hypothenar fascia medially and the infections to become localized in the
septum attaching the palmar palm
aponeurosis to the third metacarpal
bone laterally; palmar aponeurosis
superficially and fascia of the
interosseous mm. deeply
posterior (extensor) compartment bounded at its anterior posterior compartment of the arm
compartment of the arm extent by the medial and lateral contains the extensor muscles of the
intermuscular septa and humerus; it elbow (triceps brachii m., anconeus
is bounded posteriorly, laterally and m.), the radial n.and the deep brachial
medially by the brachial fascia a.
posterior (extensor) compartment bounded at its anterior posterior compartment of the forearm
compartment of the extent by the medial and lateral contains extensor muscles of the hand
forearm intermuscular septa, the radius, the and wrist (superficial group -
ulna and the interosseous membrane; brachioradialis m., extensor carpi
it is bounded posteriorly, laterally radialis longus m., extensor carpi
