Dorsal carpal branch of the radial artery

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Dorsal carpal branch of the radial artery
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Arteries of the back of the forearm and hand.
Details
Source radial artery
Branches dorsal carpal arch, dorsalis pollicis, princeps pollicis artery
Identifiers
Latin ramus carpalis dorsalis arteriae radialis
TA98 A12.2.09.032
TA2 4646
FMA 22755
Anatomical terminology

The dorsal carpal branch of the radial artery (posterior radial carpal artery) is a small vessel which arises beneath the extensor tendons of the thumb; crossing the carpus transversely toward the medial border of the hand, it anastomoses with the dorsal carpal branch of the ulnar artery.

The dorsal branch of the radial artery also branches into the dorsalis pollicis artery; more distally it branches into the princeps pollicis artery, and anastomoses with perforating branches of the deep palmar arch [1]

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Radial nerve

The radial nerve is a nerve in the human body that supplies the posterior portion of the upper limb. It innervates the medial and lateral heads of the triceps brachii muscle of the arm, as well as all 12 muscles in the posterior osteofascial compartment of the forearm and the associated joints and overlying skin.

Median nerve Nerve of the upper limb

The median nerve is a nerve in humans and other animals in the upper limb. It is one of the five main nerves originating from the brachial plexus.

Anatomical snuffbox

The anatomical snuff box or snuffbox is a triangular deepening on the radial, dorsal aspect of the hand—at the level of the carpal bones, specifically, the scaphoid and trapezium bones forming the floor. The name originates from the use of this surface for placing and then sniffing powdered tobacco, or "snuff." It is sometimes referred to by its French name tabatière.

Ulnar nerve

In human anatomy, the ulnar nerve is a nerve that runs near the ulna bone. The ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint is in relation with the ulnar nerve. The nerve is the largest in the human body unprotected by muscle or bone, so injury is common. This nerve is directly connected to the little finger, and the adjacent half of the ring finger, innervating the palmar aspect of these fingers, including both front and back of the tips, perhaps as far back as the fingernail beds.

Upper limb

The upper limb or upper extremity is the region in a vertebrate animal extending from the deltoid region up to and including the hand, including the arm, axilla and shoulder.

Radial artery Large forearm artery

In human anatomy, the radial artery is the main artery of the lateral aspect of the forearm.

Ulnar artery Artery of the forearm

The ulnar artery is the main blood vessel, with oxygenated blood, of the medial aspects of the forearm. It arises from the brachial artery and terminates in the superficial palmar arch, which joins with the superficial branch of the radial artery. It is palpable on the anterior and medial aspect of the wrist.

In human anatomy, the extensor pollicis longus muscle (EPL) is a skeletal muscle located dorsally on the forearm. It is much larger than the extensor pollicis brevis, the origin of which it partly covers and acts to stretch the thumb together with this muscle.

Posterior interosseous artery

The posterior interosseous artery is an artery of the forearm.

Anterior interosseous artery

The anterior interosseous artery is an artery in the forearm. It is a branch of the common interosseous artery.

Superficial palmar arch

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.

Deep palmar arch

The deep palmar arch is an arterial network found in the palm. It is usually formed mainly from the terminal part of the radial artery, with the ulnar artery contributing via its deep palmar branch, by an anastomosis. This is in contrast to the superficial palmar arch, which is formed predominantly by the ulnar artery.

Princeps pollicis artery

The princeps pollicis artery, or principal artery of the thumb, arises from the radial artery just as it turns medially towards the deep part of the hand; it descends between the first dorsal interosseous muscle and the oblique head of the adductor pollicis, along the medial side of the first metacarpal bone to the base of the proximal phalanx, where it lies beneath the tendon of the flexor pollicis longus muscle and divides into two branches.

Radial artery of index finger

The radialis indicis artery is a branch of the radial artery that provides blood to the index finger.

Dorsal carpal arch

The dorsal carpal arch is an anatomical term for the combination (anastomosis) of dorsal carpal branch of the radial artery and the dorsal carpal branch of the ulnar artery near the back of the wrist.

Dorsal metacarpal arteries

Most of the dorsal metacarpal arteries arise from the dorsal carpal arch and run downward on the second, third, and fourth dorsal interossei of the hand and bifurcate into the dorsal digital arteries. Near their origin, they anastomose with the deep palmar arch by perforating arteries. They also anastomose with common palmar digital arteries, also via perforating arteries.

In anatomy, arterial tree is used to refer to all arteries and/or the branching pattern of the arteries. This article regards the human arterial tree. Starting from the aorta:

Anterior interosseous nerve

The anterior interosseous nerve is a branch of the median nerve that supplies the deep muscles on the anterior of the forearm, except the ulnar (medial) half of the flexor digitorum profundus. Its nerve roots come from C8 and T1.

Dorsal carpal branch of the ulnar artery

The dorsal carpal branch of the ulnar artery arises from the ulnar artery immediately above the pisiform bone, and winds backward beneath the tendon of the flexor carpi ulnaris; it passes across the dorsal surface of the carpus beneath the extensor tendons, to anastomose with a corresponding branch of the radial artery.

Extrinsic extensor muscles of the hand

The extrinsic extensor muscles of the hand are located in the back of the forearm and have long tendons connecting them to bones in the hand, where they exert their action. Extrinsic denotes their location outside the hand. Extensor denotes their action which is to extend, or open flat, joints in the hand. They include the extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL), extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB), extensor digitorum (ED), extensor digiti minimi (EDM), extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU), abductor pollicis longus (APL), extensor pollicis brevis (EPB), extensor pollicis longus (EPL), and extensor indicis (EI).

References

  1. Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. p. 781.

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 594 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)