This specimen presents a left distal arm & proximal forearm with all skin, subcutaneous fat & superficial cutaneous nerves & veins removed. The elbow region partially flexed to display the arrangement of muscles & neurovascular structures of the cubital fossa.
Viewed from the anterior aspect the most obvious feature is the biceps brachii muscle, with its insertion in the form of the flattened bicipital aponeurosis passing medially over the muscles of the common flexor origin & the more rounded tendon passing deep to insert into the radial tuberosity. The brachialis muscle lies deep to biceps brachii & is visible from the lateral aspect. In the proximal part of the forearm the brachioradialis muscle & extensor carpi radialis longus are identifiable.
On the medial side one can see the classic arrangement of the biceps brachii tendon, brachial artery & median nerve (TAN) from lateral to medial. The ulnar nerve can be seen changing position from the anterior compartment of the arm to the posterior compartment to pass behind the medial epicondyle & enter the cubital tunnel. It travels distally between the two heads of flexor carpi ulnaris. Close inspection of the groove between brachialis & brachioradialis reveals the radial nerve. It lies amongst some fat but its superficial branch passes distally below brachioradialis.
In the posterior view the triceps tendon inserts into the olecranon process of the ulna. The medial & lateral epicondyles are also clearly visible. The medial epicondyle is clearly identifiable as it has the ulnar nerve passing posteriorly before penetrating the deep fascia covering the gap between the two heads of flexor carpi ulnaris.
The proximal section through the arm reveals the biceps muscle lying anteriorly with the neurovascular bundle on its medial side which contains the brachial artery together with median nerve & ulnar nerve (veins have been removed). The three heads of triceps (lateral, long & the deeper placed medial head) are clearly visible in the posterior compartment.
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