An Unusual Formation of the Superficial Palmar Arch and its Clinical Significance

Abstract

Variations of the arteries of the upper limb are an often encountered phenomenon and have been widely described in case reports and studies over the years. The superficial palmar arch (SPA) is the main source of blood supply to the palm and digits. The classical SPA is formed by an anastomosis between the superficial branches of the radial and ulnar artery, although a number of other variations have been described. Herein, we present a peculiar formation of the SPA between the superficial branch of the ulnar artery and a communicating branch from the princeps pollicis artery. We also noted an unusual origin of the radialis indicis artery from the SPA. According to the classifications of SPA variations, the observed SPA was type II or a dominant ulnar subtype of the non-arch type. The knowledge of arterial variations in the hand is important for the successful conduction of surgical and diagnostic manipulations in the hand and is therefore of interest to anatomists and clinicians.