358 



APPLIED ANATOMY. 



ARTERIES OF THE HAND. 



The hand receives its blood supply mainly from the radial and ulnar arteries, the 

 amount which it receives from the anterior and posterior interosseous being compar- 

 atively insignificant. The continuation of the ulnar in the hand forms the superficial 

 palmar arch and the continuation of the radial forms the deep palmar arch (Fig. 371). 



Ulnar Artery and Superficial Palmar Arch. The ulnar artery at the wrist 

 runs along the edge of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle with the ulnar nerve to its 



Ulnar artery 

 Anterior carpal branch 



Deep branch of ulnar 



Deep palmar arch 



Superficial palmar arc 

 Palmar interosseous 



Palmar digital 



Anterior (volar) interosseous 



Radial artery 



Anterior carpal branch 



Superficial volar 



Princeps pollicis 



Radialis indicis 



FIG. 371. The arteries of the hand. 



inner or ulnar side. As it enters the hand it lies just to the radial side of the pisiform 

 bone with the nerve intervening. Both the artery and nerve lie on the anterior 

 annular ligament. As soon as they pass the pisiform bone they go under the small 

 palmaris brevis muscle and the palmar fascia, and lie on the flexor tendons. 



The artery then describes a curve across the palm of the hand toward the web 

 of the thumb. It crosses the middle of the third metacarpal bone at or a little above 

 the level of the web of the thumb and continues on to the radial side of the 

 metacarpal bone of the index finger. Here it receives the superficial volar artery 

 from the radial as well as a communicating branch from the princeps pollicis and 



