Quick Facts
Origin: Ulnar artery.
Course: Runs distally, then laterally to anastomose with the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery and the radialis indicis artery, which complete the superficial palmar arch.
Branches: Common palmar digital arteries.
Supplied Structures: Thenar muscles, lumbrical muscles, and palmar aspect of metacarpals and digits.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The superficial palmar arch is the terminal branch of the ulnar artery, which contributes to about one third of the superficial palmar arch. The superficial palmar branch of the radial artery and the radialis indicis artery contribute to the remainder of the arch.
Course
The superficial palmar arch sits superficial to both the flexor digitorum superficialis and profundus tendons, the median nerve and the lumbrical muscles. It is deep to palmaris brevis and the palmar aponeurosis.
Branches
The superficial palmar arch gives off the common palmar digital arteries.
A separate branch gives a palmar digital artery to the lateral aspect of the 5th finger (Tubbs, Shoja and Loukas 2015).
Supplied Structures
The superficial palmar arch supplies the lumbricals, opponens pollicis, flexor pollicis brevis, and abductor pollicis brevis muscles. It provides an arterial supply to the digits via the common palmar digital arteries.
List of Clinical Correlates
- Allen’s test
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.
