THE COMMON DIGITAL ARTERY 



563 



internal volar metacarpal is connected with the common digital or large metacarpal artery a 

 little below the carpus by a branch passing obUquely across the inner border of the deep flexor 

 tendon; this forms a superficial volar arch. 



THE COMMON DIGITAL ARTERY 



The common digital or large metacarpal artery^ is the direct continuation of 

 the posterior rachal. It descends in the carpal canal along the inner side of 



External metacarpal vein 

 Internal metacarpal vein 



Internal lateral ligament of carpus 

 Tendon of extensor carpi radialis 

 Tendon of extensor carpi obliquus 



Lateral ligament of fetlock joint 



Ant. extensor tendon 



Extensor branch of suspensory 

 ligament 



Dorsal artery of first phalanx 



Lateral ligament of pastern joint 



Posterior annular ligament of 

 carpus 



Superficial flexor tendon 

 Internal metacarpal nerve 



Communicating branch 

 Large metacarpal artery 

 Internal metacarpal vein 

 Suspeiisory ligament 

 Lumbricalis muscle 

 Anterior digital nerve 

 Posterior digital nerve 

 Digital artery 

 Digital vein 

 Ligament of ergot 

 Deep flexor tendon 

 Lateral cartilage 

 Coronary plexus 



Coronary nmtrix 

 Laminar matrix 



Fig. 447.— Dissection of Right C.\RPrs, Mi tatarpus, and Digit of Horse, Inner View. (After Schmaltz, 



Atlas d. Anat. d. Pferdes.) 



the flexor tendons in company with the inner branch of the median nerve and a 

 satellite vein. Continuing down the limb it preserves this relation to the tendons 

 to the distal third of the metacarpus, where it inclines toward the middle line of the 

 limb behind the suspensory ligament, and divides into the internal and external 

 digital arteries. In the metacarpus the artery is related to the vein in front and 

 the artery behind, and is covered by the fascia and skin. It furnishes collateral 

 branches to the suspensory ligament, the flexor tendons, and the skin. 



^ This vessel is also termed the A. metacarpea volaris superficialis or the palmar metacarpal 

 artery. 



