The palmar carpal ligament (also volar carpal ligament or ''Guyon's Tunnel'') is the thickened portion of

antebrachial fascia The antebrachial fascia (antibrachial fascia or deep fascia of forearm) continuous above with the brachial fascia, is a dense, membranous investment, which forms a general sheath for the muscles in this region; it is attached, behind, to the ole ...

on the anterior of the wrist. It is officially unnamed.Moore, Keith L., Arthur F. Dalley II: ''Clinically Oriented Anatomy'', 4th ed. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins,1999. The palmar carpal ligament is a different structure than the

flexor retinaculum of the hand The flexor retinaculum (transverse carpal ligament, or anterior annular ligament) is a fibrous band on the palmar side of the hand near the wrist. It arches over the carpal bones of the hands, covering them and forming the carpal tunnel. Structu ...

, but the two are frequently confused. The palmar carpal ligament lies superficial and proximal to the flexor retinaculum. 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 ...

and 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 ...

run through the

ulnar canal The ulnar canal or ulnar tunnel (also known as Guyon's canal or tunnel) is a semi-rigid longitudinal canal in the wrist that allows passage of the ulnar artery and ulnar nerve into the hand. The roof of the canal is made up of the superficial palm ...

, which is deep to the palmar carpal ligament and superficial to the flexor retinaculum. The palmar carpal ligament is continuous with the

extensor retinaculum of the hand The extensor retinaculum (dorsal carpal ligament, or posterior annular ligament) is an anatomical term for the thickened part of the antebrachial fascia that holds the tendons of the extensor muscles in place. It is located on the back of the fore ...

, which is located on the posterior side of the wrist.

References

See also