Deep venous palmar arch
Arcus venosus palmaris profundus
A paired venous arch deep in the palm, running with the deep palmar arterial arch across the bases of the metacarpals.
At a glance
- English
- Deep venous palmar arch
- Latin (TA2)
- Arcus venosus palmaris profundus
- System
- Vein
- Region
- Upper limb
- Side
- Paired, left and right
About the deep venous palmar arch
The deep venous palmar arch is the venous counterpart of the deep palmar arterial arch. Like most deep veins of the limbs it is not a single channel: two slender venae comitantes run one on either side of the artery, with frequent small cross-connections, so that together they form the arch.
The arterial arch it follows is formed mainly by the end of the radial artery, which enters the palm between the first and second metacarpals, and is completed medially by the deep palmar branch of the ulnar artery. It lies across the proximal parts of the metacarpal bones, on the interosseous muscles and deep to the long flexor tendons, about a finger's breadth closer to the wrist than the superficial arch. The deep branch of the ulnar nerve travels in the concavity of the arch.
The arch receives the palmar metacarpal veins, which accompany the palmar metacarpal arteries along the interosseous spaces and drain the interossei and the deep tissues of the palm. It also receives perforating veins that pass through the interosseous spaces from the back of the hand, linking the deep palm to the dorsal venous network.
Blood leaves the arch at both ends. On the lateral side it passes into the radial veins, and on the medial side into the ulnar veins, which then ascend with their arteries through the forearm. Because the deep and superficial palmar arches and the dorsal network are all interconnected, venous return from the hand has several alternative routes, and blockage of one channel is usually well tolerated. Grip and the pumping action of the small hand muscles help drive blood out of these deep veins.
Course and drainage
- Begins at
- Formed by the venae comitantes of the deep palmar arterial arch, collecting the palmar metacarpal veins.
- Drains into
- Drains laterally into the radial veins and medially into the ulnar veins.
- Drains
- Drains the deep tissues of the palm, including the interosseous muscles and metacarpal region.
Anthromica
See the deep venous palmar arch where it really sits, with every layer of the body around it.
- Every layer, one body. Peel from muscle to bone, nerve, vessel and organ, and turn it any way.
- English and Latin. Every structure named the way your exam names it.
- Quiz until it sticks. Short drills on the structures you keep missing.
Free to start. No card.
