| Deep palmar arch | |
|---|---|
 Palm of left hand, showing position of skin creases and bones, and surface markings for the volar arches. | |
 Ulnar and radial arteries. Deep view. (Deep volar arch visible at bottom center.) | |
| Details | |
| Source | Radial artery (primarily),deep palmar branch of ulnar artery |
| Branches | Palmar metacarpal arteries |
| Vein | Deep palmar venous arch |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | arcus palmaris profundus, arcus volaris profundus |
| TA98 | A12.2.09.038 |
| TA2 | 4652 |
| FMA | 22838 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Thedeep palmar arch (deep volar arch[1]) is an arterial network found in the palm. It is usually primarily formed from the terminal part of theradial artery. Theulnar artery also contributes through ananastomosis. This is in contrast to thesuperficial palmar arch, which is formed predominantly by theulnar artery.
The deep palmar arch is usually primarily formed from the radial artery.[1] The ulnar artery also contributes through an anastomosis.[1]
The deep palmar arch lies upon the bases of themetacarpal bones and on theinterossei of the hand. It is deep to the oblique head of theadductor pollicis muscle, the flexor tendons of the fingers,[1] and thelumbricals of the hand.
Alongside of it, but running in the opposite direction—toward the radial side of the hand—is the deep branch of theulnar nerve.
Thesuperficial palmar arch is more distally located than the deep palmar arch.[1] If one were to fully extend the thumb and draw a line from the distal border of the thumb across the palm, this would be the level of the superficial palmar arch (Boeckel's line). The deep palmar arch is about a finger width proximal to this. The connection between the deep and superficial palmar arterial arches is an example ofanastomosis.[1] This anastomosis can be tested for usingAllen's test.
Thepalmar metacarpal arteries arise from the deep palmar arch.[1]
The deep palmar arch supplies thethumb and the lateral side of theindex finger.[1]
This article incorporates text in thepublic domain frompage 595 of the 20th edition ofGray's Anatomy(1918)
