Local Vascular Contribution of the Superficial Palmar Arch

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to establish a precise topography of the arterial supply of the different layers in the palm of the human hand. Two hundred upper extremities from fresh human cadavers aged 20–80 years were injected either by coloured latex or by India ink and gelatine. Some of our specimens were treated by the Spalteholz technique of transclarification, while some others were treated by acid corrosion. All of the specimens were dissected under the dissecting microscope. The superficial palmar arch (SPA) is the main vascular structure of the palm of the hand. Regardless of its size and of its variation, in addition to the common palmar digital arteries, the SPA supplies the superficial flexor tendons, flexor retinaculum, median and ulnar nerves, tendon of the flexor pollicis longus muscle, lumbrical muscles, palmar aponeurosis and the skin of the palm of the hand. These data may be of interest to those involved in hand surgery.

Analysis and Clinical Importance of Superficial Arterial Palmar Irrigation and its Variants over 86 Cases

“…If there is no collateral flow through the ulnar artery, clamping the radial artery is contraindicated as it can result in gangrene of the fingers in a non arch type. In conclusion, the superficial palmar arch is the main vascular structure of the palm (Gajisin & Zbrodowski, 1993). Ulnar artery prevails as far as irrigation of the hand, either forming an arch or not.…”

Subclinical Injury to Forearm Nerves During Radial Harvesting: Electrophysiologic Study

“…This pattern is more likely to be caused by mechanical traumas. Although median nerve is somewhat away from RA—dorsal to the belly of flexor digitorum superficialis and it gets multiple blood supply—there is some risk for mechanical trauma as this muscle is dorsal trauma 13‐15 . Ulnar nerve is out of the surgical field at all.…”

Superficial palmar arch: an arterial diameter study

“…These authors also described common digital palmar artery diameters with values similar to those reported here. Although formalin‐fixed cadavers were used in the current study, the vessel diameter data can be considered valid because they do not differ from those reported in studies carried out on fresh cadavers (Gajisin & Zbrodowski, 1993; Gellman et al. 2001) or in vivo , with non‐invasive methods for accessing the arterial diameters (Ikeda et al.…”

“…1953; Coleman & Anson, 1961; Jelicic et al. 1988; Gajisin & Zbrodowski, 1993; Gellman et al. 2001; Ruengsakulrach et al.…”