1. ARTERIAL ARCHES
OF
PALM

2. SUPERFICIAL PALMAR
ARCH
Also called-
• SUPERFICIAL VOLAR ARCH
• SUPERFICIAL ULNAR ARCH
• ARCUS PALMARIS SUPERFICIALIS
• ARCUS VOLARIS SUPERFICILAIS

3. It is an arterial
arcade (arch) and the
dominant vascular
structure of the palm.
It is defined as
the anastomoses
between the
superficial branch of
the ulnar artery and
superficial palmar
branch of the radial
Artery(usually).
There are some
variations seen in
this too i.e. The arch
is variable.

4. SITUATION:
• The convexity of the arch is directed
towards the fingers.
• The distal point of the arch lies at the
same level as the distal border of thenar
eminence when the thumb is fully extended.

5. FORMATION:
Medially: Normally,it begins as a terminal
branch of the ulnar artery on the flexor
retinaculum distal to the pisiform bone.
The arch: It then crosses the hook of the
hamate bone and turns laterally deep to the
palmar aponeurosis.
Laterally: It passes between abductor
and flexor digiti minimi. It joins the
superficial palmar branch of the radial artery.

7. RELATIONS:
Superficially: Palmar Aponeurosis
Palmaris brevis
Deeply: Flexor digiti minimi
Flexor tendons of fingers
The lumbricals
The digital branches of median
nerve.

8. BRANCHES:
 The branches arise from the convexity of the arch. The
main branches are the 4 palmar digital arteries.
 The most medial is the PROPER PALMAR DIGITAL
BRANCH, supplying the medial side of the little finger.
 The other three called the COMMON PALMAR DIGITAL
BRANCHES, pass to the interdigital clefts.
 There, each receives the corresponding palmar metacarpal
artery from the deep palmar arch.
 Then they divide into 2 PROPER PALMAR DIGITAL BRANCHES
to the adjacent sides of two fingers.
 Thus, these branches supply the adjacent sides of little
and ring, ring and middle, middle and index fingers.
THE PALAMR DIGITAL ARTERIES SUPPLY THE MEDIAL 3&½
FINGERS.

9. VARIATIONS:
The superficial palmar arch is formed
predominantly by the ulnar artery, with a
contribution from the superficial palmar
branch of the radial artery. However, in
some individuals the contribution from the
radial artery might be absent, and instead
anastomoses with either the princeps
pollicis artery, the radialis indicis
artery, or the median artery, the former
two of which are branches from the radial
artery.

11. ARTERIAL PATTERN IN THE PULP OF FINGERS:
The two digital branches
running along the sides of the
fingers ends in a rich arterial
anastomoses at the pulp space on
the fingers.

12. DEEP PALMAR
ARCH
The deep palmar arch (or deep volar arch) is
an arterial network found in the palm, deep to the
superficial palmar arch.
It provides a second channel connecting the
ulnar and radial arteries.
FORMATION:
The deep palmar arch is formed mainly by the
terminal part of the radial artery, and is completed
maedially at the base of the fifth metacarpal bone by
the deep palmar branch of the ulnar artery.

14. RELATIONS:
Superficially:
• the oblique head of the adductor
pollisis muscle,
• the flexor tendons of the fingers,
• the lumbricals of the hand.
deeply:
• the bases of the metacarpal bones,
• the interossei of the hand.

15. BRANCHES:
 From its convexity i.e. from its distal side, the
arch gives of three palmar metacarpal arteries, which
distally in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th spaces, supply the
medial 4 metacarpals, and terminate at the finger
clefts by joining the common digital branches of the
superficial palmar arch.
 Dorsally, the arch gives off three (proximal)
perforating arteries which pass through the medial
three interosseous spaces to anastomose with the dorsal
metacarpal arteries.
The digital perforating arteries connect the palmar
digital branches of the superficial palmar arch with
the dorsal metacarpal arteries.
 Recurrent branch arises from the concavity of the
arch and pass proximally to supply the carpal bones and
joints, and ends in the palmar carpal arch.

16. APPLIED ASPECTS:
The presence of variations in
the superficial palmar arch is of
surgical importance and whenever a
surgery in done in the palmar
aspect of hand,these variations if
present, must be identified and
approached accordingly.