Superficial palmar arch

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Artery: Superficial palmar arch

Palm of left hand, showing position of skin creases and bones, and surface markings for the volar arches.

The radial and ulnar arteries.
Latin	arcus volaris superficialis
Gray's	subject #152 598

The superficial palmar arch (superficial volar arch) is formed predominantly by the ulnar artery, with a contribution from the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery.

The arch passes across the palm in a curve with its convexity downward.

If one were to fully extend the thumb, the superficial palmar arch would lie approximately at the level of a line drawn from the distal border of the thumb across the palm. The superficial palmar arch is more distal than the deep palmar arch.

[edit] Common palmar digital arteries

Three common palmar digital arteries (also called ulnar metacarpal arteries) arise from the arch, proceeding down on the second, third, and fourth lumbrical muscles, respectively. They each receive a contribution from a palmar metacarpal artery. Near the level of the metacarpophalangeal joints, each common palmar digital artery divides into two proper palmar digital arteries.

[edit] Proper palmar digital arteries

The proper palmar digital arteries travel along the sides of the phalanges, just posterior to the corresponding digital nerve. The proper palmar digital artery for the medial side of the little finger arises directly from the ulnar artery deep to the palmaris brevis muscle, but the rest arise from the common palmar digital arteries. They anastomose freely in the subcutaneous tissue of the finger tips and by smaller branches near the interphalangeal joints. Each gives off a couple of dorsal branches which anastomose with the dorsal digital arteries, and supply the soft parts on the back of the second and third phalanges, including the matrix of the fingernail.

[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 As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated.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.