Quick Facts
Origin: Dorsalis pedis artery.
Course: Laterally, deep to the extensor digitorum brevis muscle, towards the lateral aspect of the foot.
Branches: Contributes to the lateral malleolar network.
Supplied Structures: Lateral aspect of the tarsal bones and its respective intertarsal joints.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The lateral tarsal artery arises from the dorsalis pedis artery. It may originate at the junction of the head and neck of the talus bone (in approximately 60% of individuals), at the ankle joint (in approximately 20% of individuals), or distal to the talonavicular joint (in approximately 20% of individuals) (Tubbs, Shoja and Loukas, 2016).
Course
From its origin, the lateral tarsal artery extends laterally, deep to the extensor digitorum brevis muscle, and contributes to the lateral malleolar network.
Branches
There are no named branches; however, the lateral tarsal artery aids in the formation of the lateral malleolar network via its anastomosis with the lateral malleolar branches of the fibular artery, anterior lateral malleolar artery, and the perforating branch of the fibular artery.
Supplied Structures
The lateral tarsal artery supplies the extensor digitorum brevis muscle and the articulations between the tarsal bones.
References
Tubbs, R. S., Shoja, M. M. and Loukas, M. (2016) Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation. Wiley.
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Artery
When the artery is occluded blood is forced through the collateral vessels, drastically increasing fluid shear stress and triggering an inflammatory response which drives vessel remodeling.
