Dorsal carpal arch
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| Artery: Dorsal carpal arch | |
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| Arteries of the back of the forearm and hand. (Dorsal radial carpal labeled at bottom right.) | |
| Latin | ramus carpalis dorsalis arteriae radialis |
| Gray's | subject #151 594 |
| Dorlands/Elsevier | r_02/12689245 |
The dorsal carpal arch (also rete carpale dorsale or posterior carpal arch) is an anatomical term for the combination (anastomosis) of dorsal carpal branch of the radial artery and the dorsal carpal branch of the ulnar artery near the back of the wrist.
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[edit] Dorsal carpal branch of the radial artery
The dorsal carpal branch of the radial artery (posterior radial carpal artery) is a small vessel which arises beneath the extensor tendons of the thumb; crossing the carpus transversely toward the medial border of the hand, it anastomoses with the dorsal carpal branch of the ulnar artery.
[edit] Dorsal carpal branch of the ulnar artery
The dorsal carpal branch of the ulnar artery arises from the ulnar artery immediately above the pisiform bone, and winds backward beneath the tendon of the flexor carpi ulnaris; it passes across the dorsal surface of the carpus beneath the extensor tendons, to anastomose with a corresponding branch of the radial artery. Immediately after its origin, it gives off a small branch, which runs along the ulnar side of the fifth metacarpal bone, and supplies the ulnar side of the dorsal surface of the little finger.
[edit] Dorsal carpal arch
The dorsal carpal arch is made up of the dorsal carpal branches of both the ulnar and radial arteries. It also anastomoses with the anterior interosseous artery and the posterior interosseous artery. The arch gives off three dorsal metacarpal arteries.
[edit] Dorsal metacarpal arteries
Most of the dorsal metacarpal arteries arise from the dorsal carpal arch and run downward on the second, third, and fourth dorsal interossei of the hand and bifurcate into the dorsal digital arteries. Near their origin, they anastomose with the deep palmar arch by perforating arteries. They also anastomose with common palmar digital arteries (from the superficial palmar arch), also via perforating arteries.
The first dorsal metacarpal artery arises directly from the radial artery before it crosses through the two heads of the first dorsal interosseous muscle.
[edit] Dorsal digital arteries
Dorsal digital arteries arise from the bifurcation of dorsal metacarpal arteries. They travel along the sides and dorsal aspects of the phalanges of the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger. They communicate with the proper palmar digital arteries.
[edit] See also
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.
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