Cubital fossa

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In anatomy, the cubital fossa is the triangular area on the front side of the elbow joint of the arm.

[edit] Boundaries

The boundaries of the cubital fossa include the following:

  • superficial boundary (roof)- deep fascia reinforced by the bicipital aponeurosis (a sheet of tendon-like material that branches off the tendon of the biceps)
  • deep boundary (floor)- brachialis and supinator muscles
  • superior (proximal) boundary- imaginary line connecting epicondyles of humerus
  • medial (ulnar) boundary- pronator teres muscle
  • lateral (radial) boundary- brachioradialis muscle

[edit] Contents

The cubital fossa contains three main vertical structures (from lateral to medial) that can be remembered by the mnemonic TAN:


The brachial artery usually bifurcates near the apex (inferior part) of the cubital fossa into:

The radial nerve is in the vicinity of the cubital fossa, located between brachioradialis and brachialis muscles. (When considering this to be part of the fossa, one can also use the mnemonic for lateral to medial : "Really Need Beer To Be At My Nicest".) The ulnar nerve is also in the area, but is not in the cubital fossa; it occupies a groove on the posterior aspect of the medial epicondyle of the humerus.

[edit] Clinical aspects

During blood pressure measurements, the stethoscope is placed over the brachial artery in the cubital fossa. The cubital fossa is also an area used to palpate for the brachial pulse.

The area just superficial to the cubital fossa is often used for venous access (phlebotomy). A number of superficial veins can cross this region. Historically, back when (venous) blood-letting was practiced, the bicipital aponeurosis (the ceiling of the cubital fossa) was known as the "grace of God" tendon because it protected the contents of the fossa (i.e. the brachial artery and the median nerve).

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