cubitaal

Cubitaal is an anatomical term used in Dutch to describe anything related to the cubitus, the elbow region, and the forearm’s anterior aspect. The term is applied to structures, surfaces, and clinical conditions associated with this area, including the cubital fossa, the cubital tunnel, and superficial veins commonly used for venous access.

The word derives from the Latin cubitus meaning elbow. In medical usage, cubitaal often appears in phrases such as fossa cubitalis (the cubital fossa) and tunel cubitaal (the cubital tunnel). The surrounding region is clinically important because several major structures pass through or lie near the front of the elbow.

Anatomy and boundaries. The cubital fossa is a triangular depression on the anterior elbow. It is bounded laterally by the brachioradialis, medially by the pronator teres, with a base formed by a line between the humeral epicondyles. Its floor consists of the brachialis and supinator muscles, and its roof is the bicipital aponeurosis. Contents typically include the biceps brachii tendon, the brachial artery and its bifurcation, and the median nerve. The cubital tunnel is a canal on the medial side of the elbow through which the ulnar nerve passes behind the medial epicondyle. The term also covers superficial veins such as the median cubital vein, commonly used for venous access in clinical practice.

Clinical relevance. Conditions in the cubitaal area include cubital tunnel syndrome (compression of the ulnar nerve), which can cause numbness and weakness in the hand, and various elbow injuries or inflammations affecting the cubital region. Venous procedures often use the median cubital vein as an access point.

See also: cubitus, antecubital fossa, cubital tunnel, median cubital vein.