It winds around the neck of the humerus and is distributed to the deltoid muscle (aka deltoideus) and shoulder-joint, anastomosing with the anterior humeral circumflex and profunda brachii.
Cystica profunda is characterized by formation of mucin cysts in the muscle layers of the gut lining, and it can occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract.
It includes solitary rectal ulcer syndrome, rectal prolapse, proctitis cystica profunda, and inflammatory polyps.
When it occurs in the colon, it is termed colitis cystica profunda.
Mechanical risk factors include obesity, coxa profunda, femoral or acetabular retroversion.
The upper four openings are small, and give passage to the perforating branches of the profunda femoris artery.
When the condition occurs in the stomach, it may be termed gastritis cystica profunda, and in the small intestine, enteritis cystica profunda.
Colitis cystica profunda is benign, but it may mimic a tumor.