Lecture Notes: Arterial Arches of the Hand

Overview

• Focus on the arterial arches of the hand, specifically the superficial and deep palmar arches, and the dorsal carpal arch.

Arteries of the Hand

Radial and Ulnar Arteries

• Radial Artery:
  • Divides at the wrist into:
    • Superficial Palmar Branch
    • Deep Palmar Branch
• Ulnar Artery:
  • Divides near the pisiform bone into:
    • Superficial Palmar Branch
    • Deep Palmar Branch
  • Both arteries give off a palmar carpal branch to form the palmar carpal arch with the posterior interosseous artery.

Palmar Arterial Arches

Superficial Palmar Arch

• Formation:
  • Mainly from the superficial palmar branch of the ulnar artery.
  • Anastomoses with the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery.
• Branches:
  • Three common palmar digital arteries (to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th intermetacarpal spaces).
  • Proper palmar digital arteries (supply adjacent sides).
  • Proper digital artery to the medial side of the little finger.

Deep Palmar Arch

• Formation:
  • Mainly from the deep palmar branch of the radial artery.
  • Ulnar artery contributes via its deep palmar branch.
• Pathway:
  • Radial artery: winds round the wrist, passes between the heads of adductor pollicis.
  • Ulnar artery: descends between pisiform and hook of hamate, passes under opponens digiti minimi.
• Branches:
  • Princeps pollicis artery (splits into proper digital arteries of the thumb).
  • Radialis indicis artery (for lateral side of index finger).
  • Three palmar metacarpal arteries (terminate into common palmar digital arteries).
  • Perforating branches at the base of intermetacarpal spaces.

Dorsal Arterial Network

Dorsal Carpal Arch

• Formation:
  • Dorsal carpal branches from radial and ulnar arteries anastomose.
  • Receives branches from anterior and posterior interosseous arteries.
• Characteristics:
  • Also known as the dorsal carpal network.
• Branches:
  • Radial artery gives off:
    • Two dorsal pollicis arteries.
    • One dorsal indicis artery.
  • Four dorsal metacarpal arteries arise from the dorsal carpal arch and further divide into dorsal digital arteries.
  • Perforating branches from the deep palmar arterial arch at the base of intermetacarpal spaces.

Summary

• Understanding the arterial supply via the palmar and dorsal arches is crucial for comprehending the vascularization of the hand's anatomy. The superficial and deep palmar arches primarily supply the palmar side of the hand, while the dorsal carpal network supplies the dorsum of the hand.