Arteria radialis et ulnaris. 



209 



M. ttiuscul. < 



At the bend of the elbow the b r a- 

 chial artery lies upon the M. brachialis 

 anticus s. mternus, to the inner side of the 

 tendon of the M. biceps, and to the outer 

 side of the M. pronator radii teres. Here it 

 gives off the Art. plicae cubiti superficialis 

 and divides below the bend of the elbow 

 into the radial and ulnar arteries. 



a) The radial artery, Art. radia- 

 lis, passes along the radial side of the fore- 

 arm to the wrist; in the upper half of 

 the forearm it lies between M. supinator 

 longus and M. pronator radii teres, in the 

 lower half between M. supinator longus 

 and M. flexor carpi radialis. At the wrist 

 it passes between the stylpid process of 

 the radius and the scaphoid to the back 

 of the hand, where it is covered by the 

 tendons of the M. extensor ossis tneta- 

 carpi pollicis and M. extensor primi inter- 

 nodii pollicis ; it then passes into the palm 

 of the hand between the bases of the 

 metacarpal bones of the thumb and index 

 finger, and arches across the palm to the 

 base of the metacarpal bone of the little 

 finger, where it inosculates with the deep 

 branch of the ulnar artery, forming the 

 deep palmar arch, Arcus volaris pro- 

 fundus. Its branches are: 



The radial recurrent, which 

 anastomoses with the anterior terminal 

 branch of the superior profunda artery 5 



The muscular branches to the 

 neighbouring muscles ; 



The superficialis volae, to the muscles 

 of the ball of the thumb; it usually helps 

 to form the superficial palmar arch. 



At the back of the hand the radial 

 artery gives off (see Fig. 559): 



The posterior or dor so-carpal 

 branch, Ramus carpi dorsalis, which, with 

 the branches of the external interosseous 

 artery helps to form the Rete carpi dor sale 

 (posterior carpal arch) ; 



The first dorsal interosseous 

 artery, Art. interossea dorsalis prima, 

 which supplies both sides of the thumb 

 and the radial side of the index finger. 



Having returned to the palm of the hand, the radial artery gives off the Art. 

 digitalis volaris communis, from which the Art. volaris indicis radialis arises, and 

 which finally divides into two Arteriac volares pollicis. 



)R muscvl 



Tendo _ 

 M. sup. longT 



R volar. 

 su/gerf.' 



Tendo 

 M. flex.carp.uln. 



-R. dorsal 



554. Course and Ramifi- 

 cation of the Arteries of 

 the Forearm. 



