The dorsal carpal arch (dorsal carpal network, posterior carpal arch) is an anatomical term for the combination (
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 norma ...
) of
dorsal carpal branch of the radial artery and the
dorsal carpal branch of the ulnar artery near the back of the
wrist
In human anatomy, the wrist is variously defined as (1) the carpus or carpal bones, the complex of eight bones forming the proximal skeletal segment of the hand; "The wrist contains eight bones, roughly aligned in two rows, known as the carpal ...
.
It is made up of the dorsal carpal branches of both the ulnar and radial arteries. It also anastomoses with the
anterior interosseous artery
The anterior interosseous artery (volar interosseous artery) is an artery in the forearm. It is a branch of the common interosseous artery.
Course
It passes down the forearm on the palmar surface of the interosseous membrane.
It is accompanied ...
and the
posterior interosseous artery
The posterior interosseous artery (dorsal interosseous artery) is an artery of the forearm. It is a branch of the common interosseous artery, which is a branch of the ulnar artery.
Structure
The posterior interosseous artery passes backward bet ...
. The arch gives off three
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 ...
.
See also
*
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, ...
*
Deep palmar arch
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. The ulnar artery also contributes through an anastomosis. This is in contrast to the super ...
*
Superficial palmar arch
The superficial palmar arch is formed predominantly by the ulnar artery, with a contribution from the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery. However, in some individuals the contribution from the radial artery might be absent, and inste ...
References
External links
Arteries of the upper limb
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