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296 ULNAR ARTERY BRANCHES. 



The Branches of the ulnar artery may be arranged like those of 

 the radial into three groups : 



Anterior ulnar recurrent, 

 'Posterior ulnar recurrent, 



( Anterior interosseous, 

 Interosseous j p osterior interosse ous, 



Muscular. 



w . ( Carpalis anterior, 



Wrist . ^ Carpalis posterior, or dorsalis manus. 



Hand . Digitales. 



The Anterior ulnar recurrent arises immediately below the elbow, 

 and ascends in front of the joint between the pronator radii teres 

 and brachialis anticus, where it inosculates with anastomotica magna 

 and inferior profunda. The two recurrent arteries frequently arise 

 by a common trunk. 



The Posterior ulnar recurrent, larger than the preceding, arises 

 immediately below the elbow-joint, and passes backwards beneath 

 the origins of the superficial layer of muscles ; it thena scends be- 

 tween the two heads of the flexor carpi ulnaris, and beneath the 

 ulnar nerve, and inosculates with the inferior profunda and anasto- 

 motica magna. 



The Common interosseous artery is a short trunk which arises 

 from the ulnar, opposite to the bicipital tuberosity of the radius. It 

 divides into two branches, the anterior and posterior interosseous 

 arteries. 



The Anterior interosseous passes down the fore-arm upon the inter- 

 osseous membrane, between the flexor profundus digitorum and 

 flexor longus pollicis, and behind the pronator quadratus it pierces 

 that membrane and descends to the back of the wrist, where it inos- 

 culates with the posterior carpal branches of the radial and ulnar. 

 It is retained in connexion with the interosseous membrane by 

 means of a thin aponeurotic arch. 



The anterior interosseous artery sends a branch to the median 

 nerve, which it accompanies into the hand. The median artery is 

 sometimes of large size, and I have seen it take the place of the 

 superficial palmar arch. 



The Posterior interosseous artery passes backwards through an 

 opening between the upper part of the interosseous membrane and 

 the oblique ligament, and is distributed to the muscles on the poste- 

 rior aspect of the fore-arm. It gives off a recurrent branch, which 

 returns upon the elbow between the anconeus, extensor carpi ulnaris 

 and supinator brevis muscles, and anastomoses with the posterior 

 terminal branches of the superior profunda. 



The Muscular branches supply the muscles situated along the 

 ulnar border of the fore-arm. 



The Carpal branches, anterior and posterior, are distributed to the 



