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The deep palmar arch (deep volar arch) is an arterial network found in the palm. It is usually primarily formed from the terminal part of the
radial artery In human anatomy, the radial artery is the main artery of the lateral aspect of the forearm. Structure The radial artery arises from the bifurcation of the brachial artery in the antecubital fossa. It runs distally on the anterior part of the f ...
. The ulnar artery also contributes through an
anastomosis An anastomosis (, plural anastomoses) is a connection or opening between two things (especially cavities or passages) that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be norm ...
. This is in contrast to the superficial palmar arch, which is formed predominantly by the ulnar artery.


Structure

The deep palmar arch is usually primarily formed from the radial artery. The ulnar artery also contributes through an anastomosis. The deep palmar arch lies upon the bases of the metacarpal bones and on the
interossei {{short description, Muscles between certain bones Interossei refer to muscles between certain bones. There are many interossei in a human body. Specific interossei include: On the hands * Dorsal interossei muscles of the hand * Palmar interosse ...
of the hand. It is deep to the oblique head of the adductor pollicis muscle, the flexor tendons of the fingers, and the lumbricals of the hand. Alongside of it, but running in the opposite direction—toward the radial side of the hand—is the deep branch of the ulnar nerve. The superficial palmar arch is more distally located than the deep palmar arch. If one were to fully extend the thumb and draw a line from the distal border of the thumb across the palm, this would be the level of the superficial palmar arch (Boeckel's line). The deep palmar arch is about a finger width proximal to this. The connection between the deep and superficial palmar arterial arches is an example of
anastomosis An anastomosis (, plural anastomoses) is a connection or opening between two things (especially cavities or passages) that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be norm ...
. This anastomosis can be tested for using Allen's test. The palmar metacarpal arteries arise from the deep palmar arch.


Function

The deep palmar arch supplies the thumb and the lateral side of the index finger.


See also

* Superficial palmar arch *
Palmar carpal arch The palmar carpal arch is the combination (anastomosis) of two arteries: the Palmar carpal branch of radial artery and the palmar carpal branch of ulnar artery. This anastomosis is joined by a branch from the anterior interosseous artery above, a ...
*
Dorsal carpal arch The dorsal carpal arch (dorsal carpal network, 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 ...


References


External links

* * ("Palm of the hand, deep dissection, anterior view")


Additional Images

File:Slide7VVVVV.JPG, Deep palmar arterial arch File:Slide10VVVV.JPG, Deep palmar arterial arch {{Authority control Arteries of the upper limb