Deep Volar Arch
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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 The ulnar artery is the main blood vessel, with oxygenated blood, of the medial aspects of the forearm. It arises from the brachial artery and terminates in the superficial palmar arch, which joins with the superficial branch of the radial ar ...
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, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection m ...
. This is in contrast to 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 ...
, which is formed predominantly by the
ulnar artery The ulnar artery is the main blood vessel, with oxygenated blood, of the medial aspects of the forearm. It arises from the brachial artery and terminates in the superficial palmar arch, which joins with the superficial branch of the radial ar ...
.


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 In human anatomy, the metacarpal bones or metacarpus form the intermediate part of the skeletal hand located between the phalanges of the fingers and the carpal bones of the wrist, which forms the connection to the forearm. 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 In human anatomy, the adductor pollicis muscle is a muscle in the hand that functions to adduct the thumb. It has two heads: transverse and oblique. It is a fleshy, flat, triangular, and fan-shaped muscle deep in the thenar compartment beneath ...
muscle, the flexor tendons of the fingers, and the
lumbricals of the hand The lumbricals are intrinsic muscles of the hand that flex the metacarpophalangeal joints, and extend the interphalangeal joints. p. 97 The lumbrical muscles of the foot also have a similar action, though they are of less clinical concern. S ...
. Alongside of it, but running in the opposite direction—toward the radial side of the hand—is the deep branch of the
ulnar nerve In human anatomy, the ulnar nerve is a nerve that runs near the ulna bone. The ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint is in relation with the ulnar nerve. The nerve is the largest in the human body unprotected by muscle or bone, so injury is ...
. 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 ...
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, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection m ...
. This anastomosis can be tested for using
Allen's test In medicine, Allen's test or the Allen test is a medical sign used in physical examination of arterial blood flow to the hands. It was named for Edgar Van Nuys Allen, who described the original version of the test in 1942. An altered test, first s ...
. The
palmar metacarpal arteries 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. Structure The palmar metacarpal arteries arise from the convexity of the d ...
arise from the deep palmar arch.


Function

The deep palmar arch supplies the
thumb The thumb is the first digit of the hand, next to the index finger. When a person is standing in the medical anatomical position (where the palm is facing to the front), the thumb is the outermost digit. The Medical Latin English noun for thumb ...
and the lateral side of the
index finger The index finger (also referred to as forefinger, first finger, second finger, pointer finger, trigger finger, digitus secundus, digitus II, and many other terms) is the second digit of a human hand. It is located between the thumb and the mid ...
.


See also

*
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 ...
*
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 abov ...
*
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 wris ...


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