Abnormal course of the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery

Abstract

The structures in the carpal tunnel are the flexor muscle tendons and their sheaths and the median n. Due to the inflexibility of its walls, any swelling of its contents that produces decrease of its volume, may compress the median n. There are many possible causes of nerve compression, such as the presence of arteries in this tunnel [3, 13]. The carpal tunnels of 70 hands of 35 adult cadavers of both sexes, whose age ranged from 23 to 77 years, were studied by dissection. An abnormal course of the superficial palmar branch of the radial a. was found in 2 hands (2.85%). This vascular branch passed through the carpal tunnel. This unusual course of the superficial palmar branch of the radial a. is described with details correlating its presence in the carpal tunnel with the median n.

Aberrant Radial Artery Seen in the Carpal Tunnel at Carpal Tunnel Decompression: Case Report

“…Olave observed it running through the carpal tunnel in 3 of 102 dissections with a diameter of 1.8 to 1.9 mm. 5,6 We believe that in our case, the vessel encountered is an anomalous superficial palmar branch of the radial artery. However, in contrast with those described above, the normal continuation of the radial artery was vestigial resulting in a large-diameter artery within the carpal tunnel.…”

“…1 Although many anatomic variants of the median nerve have been described and classified by Lanz,2 there are more rarely vascular variants that occur within or distal to the carpal tunnel. These include a persistent median artery, a superficial palmar branch of the radial artery, or an abnormal ulnar artery [3][4][5][6] and may be a cause of median nerve compression. [7][8][9][10][11] We present a case in which an aberrant radial artery was encountered within the carpal tunnel during a routine open carpal tunnel decompression.…”

Unusual Course of Superficial Palmar Branch of Radial Artery: A Case Report

“…describing thrombosis of which can compress the median nerve within the carpal tunnel [1,3]. The present variation is very rare condition as it is piercing the flexor retinaculum and running in the carpal tunnel.…”

“…Carpal tunnel is an osseofibrous tunnel which contains median nerve and long flexor tendons of upperlimb. Due to lack of flexibility of the tunnel walls, any condition that causes swelling of its contents may compress the median nerve with in the tunnel leading to carpal tunnel syndrome [1]. Presence of arteries could be one of the causes.…”

Thumb reconstruction via a pedicled flap based on the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery from the wrist crease area

“…The deep branch runs along the proximal superficial surface of the thenar muscles, or perforates its fibers, and it descends beneath the palmar aponeurosis to join the superficial palmar arch. 13 The superficial branch nourishes the palmar side of the wrist region. 14 The deep branch eventually communicates with the radial common palmar digital artery of the index finger, and with the deep palmar arch at the first web space (42%) or with the common palmar digital artery of the thumb (85%).…”