66 



DISSECTION OF FRONT OF FORF.ARM. 



posterior 

 recurrent, 



interos- 

 seous, 



carpal, 



and m eta- 

 carpal. 



quently arises in common with the next, and ascends on the 

 brachialis anticus muscle, to join the branch of the anastomotic 

 artery beneath the pronator teres. It gives offsets to the contiguous 

 muscles. 



b. The posterior ulnar recurrent branch (d), of larger size than 

 the anterior, is directed beneath the flexor sublimis muscle to the 

 interval between the inner condyle and the olecranon. There it 

 passes with the ulnar nerve between the attachments of the flexor 

 carpi ulnaris, and joins the ramifications of the inferior profunda 

 and anastomotic arteries on the inner side of the elbow-joint. Some 

 of its offsets enter the muscles, and others supply the articulation 

 and the tilnar nerve. 



c. The interosseous artery is a short thick trunk, which is 

 directed backwards towards the interosseous membrane, and divides 

 into anterior and posterior branches, which will be afterwards 

 followed. 



d. The carpal branches (anterior and posterior) ramify on the 

 front and back of the carpus, on which they anastomose with 

 corresponding offsets of the radial artery, and form arches across 

 the wrist. 



e. The metacarpal branch arises from the artery near the lower 

 end of the ulna, and runs along the metacarpal bone of the little 

 finger, of which it is the inner dorsal branch. 



The origin 



and course 

 may vary. 



Peculiarities of the ulnar artery. The origin of the artery may be trans- 

 ferred to any point of the main vessel in the arm or axilla. In one instance 

 R. Quain found the ulnar artery arising between two and three inches below 

 the elbow. 



When it begins higher than usual, it is generally superficial to the flexor 

 muscles at the bend of the elbow, but beneath the aponeurosis of the forearm, 

 though sometimes it is subcutaneous with the supei ficial veins. 



Ulnar nerve 

 in the fore- 

 arm. 



Its branches 

 are 



to elbow- 

 joint ; 



to two 

 muscles of 

 forearm ; 



cutaneous 

 branch of 

 palm of 

 hand : 



The ULNAR NERVE (fig. 26, 4 ) enters the forearm between the 

 attachments of the flexor carpi ulnaris to the olecranon and inner 

 condyle of the humerus. Under cover of that muscle the nerve 

 reaches the ulnar artery somewhat above the middle (in length) of 

 the forearm, and is continued on the inner side of the vessel to the 

 hand. On the annular ligament the nerve is rather deeper than the 

 artery. It gives off the following branches : 



a. Articular nerves. In the interval between the olecranon 

 and the inner condyle, slender filaments are furnished to the 

 joint. 



b. Muscular branches arise from the nerve near the elbow, and 

 supply the flexor carpi ulnaris and the inner half of the flexor 

 profundus digitorum. 



c. Cutaneous nerve of the forearm and hand (fig. 15, p. 39). A 

 small palmar branch ( 5 ) arises about the middle of the forearm, and 

 descends on the ulnar artery, sending twigs around that vessel, 

 to end in the integuments of the palm of the hand ; sometimes a 

 cutaneous offset perforates the aponeurosis near the wrist, and 

 joins the internal cutaneous nerve. 



