Radial artery

Radial artery , a. Radialis, departs from the brachial artery in the region of the ulnar fossa. Going downwards, it deviates somewhat from the outside and goes along the front surface of the muscle - the round pronator. Having reached the medial edge of the brachial muscle, the artery passes between this muscle and the round pronator, and then - between the brachial muscle and the ray flexor of the hand.

On the sides of the artery are two radial veins, vv. Radiales.
In the lower third of the forearm, the artery lies most superficially: it is covered only with fascia and skin. Here it is easily palpable and can be pressed against the radius bone.

Further, the radial artery, without losing its descending direction, at the level of the styloid process of the radial bone, deviates posteriorly, under the tendons of the long muscle that removes the thumb of the hand and the short extensor of the thumb of the hand; Then passes under the tendon of the long extensor of the big toe, going to the rear of the hand. Here the radial artery changes its direction, perforates the muscles of the first interdigital space and leaves on the palmar surface of the hand; Further it turns arcsately towards the ulnar edge and joins r. Palmaris profundus a. Ulnaris, forming a deep palm arc, arcus palmaris profundus. In its turn, the radial artery gives off a number of branches, blood supplying the muscles of the forearm.

1. Radial recurrent artery, a. Recurrens radialis, begins from the radial artery even in the region of the ulnar fossa, departs from its outer surface and is directed to the outside between the humerus and the humerus muscles. The branches of the return radial artery are directed to the nearby muscles. In the lateral epicondyle, it anastomoses with a. Collateralis radialis (from the deep artery of the shoulder) and takes part in the formation of the elbow articular network.

2. The palm carpal branch, r. Carpalis palmaris, departs from the radial artery at the level of the lower edge of the square pronator and, moving toward the elbow margin of the forearm, anastomoses with the palmar carpal branch, r. Carpalis palmaris (from the ulnar artery). These arteries take part in the formation of the arterial network of the wrist.

3. Superficial palmar branch, r. Palmaris superficialis, begins from the radial artery at the level of the base of the styloid process of the radius, goes down, passes over the muscles of the elevation of the thumb of the hand or pierces their thickness and, anastomosing with the ulnar artery, forms a superficial palmar arc, arcus palmaris superficialis. Blood supply also to the muscles and skin of the region of the elevation of the thumb of the hand.

4. The rear carpal branch, r. Carpalis dorsalis, departs from the radial artery and, moving along the back surface of the base of the hand towards its ulnar margin, anastomizes with the back carpal branch from a. Ulnaris and together with her takes part in the formation of the rear wrist network, rete carpi dorsale.

5. Inferior metacarpal arteries, aa. Metacarpales dorsales, only three to four, separate, sometimes paired from the back of the wrist and are sent distally between the tendon of the extensor of the fingers. At the level of the head of metacarpal bone, each metacarpal artery is divided into two rear finger arteries, aa. Digitales dorsales; Blood supplying the back surface of the fingers, the area of ​​the proximal and middle phalanges.

6. Artery of the thumb of the hand, a. Princeps policis, departs from the radial artery either in the thickness of the interosseous muscle, or on its exit to the palmar surface and is divided into two, less often into three of its own palmar finger arteries, aa. Digitales palmares propriae.

The latter go along the palmar surface of the lateral margins of the first finger, and sometimes also on the radial side of the second finger.

7. Radial artery of the index finger, a. Radialis indicis, leaves somewhat more medially than the previous, goes in the groove between the abdominals of the posterior interosseous muscles, is directed distally along the radial surface of the index finger.