THE ULNAR ARTERY. 



779 



nerve, the palmar fascia, and the pahnar branch of the median nerve. It rests upon 

 the digital branches of the ulnar nerve, the long flexor tendons, and the digital 

 branches of the median nerve. 



Branches. — From its antibrachial 

 numerous Jtiuscular brandies supplying the 

 to ( I ) the anterio}- ulnar 

 recurrent, (2) the pos- 

 terior ulnar recurrent^ 

 (3) the common interos- 

 seous, (4) a nutrient 

 branch, (5) the poster- 

 ior ulnar carpal, and 

 (6) the anterior ulnar 

 carpal. 



From the carpal 

 portion arise no 

 branches of considera- 

 ble size. 



From the palmar 

 portion arise (7) the 

 superior and (8) the in- 

 ferior deep palmar 

 branches and (g) the 

 digital branches, and, in 

 addition, muscular 

 branches to superficial 

 muscles of the palm and 

 cutaneous branches. 



portion the ulnar artery gives rise to 

 muscles of the forearm, and, in addition. 



Fig. 710. 



Superficial 

 brunch of 



sup. profunda 



Musculo- 



spiral nerve 



Radial recurrent 

 artery 



Brachio-radialis 

 Brachialis anticus 



Pronator 

 radii teres 



Radial nerve 



Radial artery 

 Flexor 



longus pollicis 



Anterior 



carpal artery. 



Flexor carpi 

 radialis 



Superficial 

 volar artery 



Ulnar artery 



Flexor profundus digitorum 



Inferior profunda artery 



Origin of superficial flexors 

 Median nerve 

 Brachial artery 

 Tendon of biceps 



Brachialis anticus 

 Origin of superficial flexors 

 Ant. ulnar recurrent artery 

 Post, ulnar recurrent artery 



Common interosseous artery 

 Ulnar nerve 



Variations.— From HB B'iBiiW -ii-^^-l.r-T-i' Median nerve 



the developmental stand- 

 point the ulnar artery ( page 

 848), although earlier in its 

 appearance than the radial, 

 is, nevertheless, preceded 

 as the principal artery of 

 the forearm by two others. 

 In the most primitive con- 

 dition the brachial is con- 

 tinued down the forearm, 

 resting upon the interos- 

 seous membrane and giving 

 rise at the base of the hand 

 to a leash of digital 

 branches. Later there de- 

 velops from the brachial a 

 second artery, which passes 

 distally in a plane superfi- 

 cial to the original vessel, 

 accompanying the median 

 nerve through the interval 

 between the fie.xor sublimis 

 digitorum and the fle.xor 

 profundus digitorum. This 

 median artery, near the 

 wrist anastomoses with the 

 original one, and the latter 

 then begins to diminish in 

 size and separates from the 

 median above the point of its anastomosis, forming tlie anterior interosseous artery. In this 

 condition it is the median artery which gives origin to the digital branches. Finally, the ulnar 

 arises as another distinct branch from the brachial and gradually supplants the median, which 

 now appears as a branch of the interosseous known as the a. comes nervi mediani. 



As is frequently the case where the development passes through a series of well-marked 

 stages, its arrest may occur at any one of these, and consequently an anomaly may occur in 

 which the ulnar artery is represented only by some muscular branches, its place being taken by 



Flexor sublimis digitorum 



Palmaris longus tendon 

 Anterior carpal arterj' 

 Posterior carpal artery 



Flexor carpi ulnaris 

 Pisiform bone 



.^wf»T,wu«.- 



Radial and ulnar arteries : 



superficial dissection. 



