The palmar metacarpal arteries (volar metacarpal arteries, palmar interosseous arteries) are three or four arteries that arise from the convexity of the

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 ...

Structure

The palmar metacarpal arteries arise from the convexity of the

. They run distally upon the

palmar interossei muscles In human anatomy, the palmar or volar interossei (interossei volares in older literature) are four muscles, one on the thumb that is occasionally missing, and three small, unipennate, central muscles in the hand that lie between the Metacarpus, me ...

. They

anastomose An anastomosis (, : 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 normal (su ...

at the clefts of the

finger A finger is a prominent digit (anatomy), digit on the forelimbs of most tetrapod vertebrate animals, especially those with prehensile extremities (i.e. hands) such as humans and other primates. Most tetrapods have five digits (dactyly, pentadact ...

s with the common palmar digital arteries which arise from the

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 instea ...

References

External links

* ("Palm of the hand, deep dissection, anterior view") Arteries of the upper limb {{circulatory-stub