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 its continuation to a deep branch of the ulnar artery. In a few cases, the deep palmar circulation is formed only by the radial or the ulnar artery. 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 patterns were identified: (1) radioulnar (66.67%); (2) radial-anastomotic (21.67%); (3) radial (8.33%), and (4) ulnar (3.33%). Two distinct types of the radioulnar variant were observed, a proximal and a distal one, named according to the origin of the deep palmar branch.