Deep palmar arch

Artery: 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.)
Latin	arcus palmaris profundus, arcus volaris profundus
Gray's	subject #151 595
Source	radial artery (primarily), deep palmar branch of ulnar artery
Branches	palmar metacarpal arteries
Vein	deep palmar venous arch

The deep palmar arch (deep volar 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. This is in contrast to the superficial palmar arch, which is formed predominantly by the ulnar artery.

The deep palmar arch lies upon the bases of the metacarpal bones and on the interossei of the hand, being covered by the oblique head of the adductor pollicis muscle, the flexor tendons of the fingers, and the lumbricals of the hand.

Alongside of it, but running in the opposite direction—that is to say, toward the radial side of the hand—is the deep branch of the ulnar nerve.

The superficial palmar arch is more distally located than the deep palmar arch. 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. The deep palmar arch is about a finger width proximal to this.

From the deep palmar arch emerge palmar metacarpal arteries.

See also

• Superficial palmar arch
• Palmar carpal arch
• Dorsal carpal arch

External links

• lesson5artofhand at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)
• Atlas of anatomy at UMich hand_blood2 ("Palm of the hand, deep dissection, anterior view")

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.