ANATOMIC VARIATIONS OF THE DEEP PALMAR ARTERIES IN MAN

The deep palmar circulation is constituted by the deep palmar arch. In most cases this is a complete arch formed by the radial artery and it s continuation to a deep branch of the ulnar artery. In a few cases, t he deep palmar circulation is formed only by the radial or the ulnar a rtery. Only rarely is there a complete absence of the deep palmar arch . A series of 60 vascular casts was examined in order to identify the primary variants of the deep palmar arterial supply. Four anatomic pat terns were identified: (1) radioulnar (66.67%); (2) radial-anastomotic (21.67%); (3) radial (8.33%), and (4) ulnar (3.33%). Two distinct typ es of the radioulnar variant were observed, a proximal and a distal on e, named according to the origin of the deep palmar branch.