Blood Supply of the Hand

00:01 So, now, let's move on to looking at the blood supply specifically of the hand.

00:07 So, the main blood supply to the hand is by the radial and the ulnar arteries.

00:12 And this forms a very complex arrangement within the hand.

00:16 So, here, we can see the radial artery and the ulnar artery.

00:19 As the ulnar artery passes into the hand via Guyon's canal, giving rise to deep and superficial palmar arches.

00:27 So, here, we can see the formation of both the deep and the superficial palmar arch coming off the ulnar and radial arteries.

00:34 Here, we can see we have the communicating artery here with the radial artery and this really allows redundancy in this blood supply.

00:42 So, if there was compression or damage to some of these blood vessels, blood can still pass towards the digits via this interconnecting anastomotic loop.

00:51 Coming away from these arches, we can see the palmar digital artery which is running to supply the medial side of the little finger.

00:59 We can see that coming from the superficial palmar arch.

01:02 And you can see a whole number of common palmar digital arteries that are coming away in this direction, going on the supply the digits providing blood supply to the tendinous sheaths and to the bones that are associated with the distal phalanges.

01:17 If we now concentrate on the radial artery, this calls laterally and posterior over onto the dorsal side of the wrist.

01:24 And here, we can see the radial artery now posteriorly.

01:27 It's coursing through the anatomical snuff box and then, sends a branch that enters the palm.

01:32 So, here, we can see as it enters the palm, it enters onto the palmar surface and contributing to those branches that form the various deep and superficial arches.

01:44 You can also see coming away from the radial artery, the princeps pollicis artery.

01:48 This goes on to supply the thumb and you also have this radialis indicis artery which is passing towards the index finger, helping to supply again, the musculature within this region.

01:59 Coming off the branch to the radial artery, you can see the deep palmar arch and that's giving rise to metacarpal arteries on this palmar surface.

02:07 So, we have three of these running from the deep palmar arch, passing towards the metacarpal bones and also, the musculature that's surrounding this area.

02:16 And there's important anastomosis between these palmar arches branches.

02:21 So, the digital and metacarpal arteries that are coming off these palmar arches are really importantly connected together, again, ensuring that if there's any damage or occlusions to the small blood vessels, there's an ability for muscle to still supply these regions.

02:36 From this point, you then have small blood vessels that pass very distally towards the distal aspect of the digits and these are the proper palmar digital arteries which you could see located here.

02:47 If we then look at the dorsal surface of the hand, we can pick up some common structures again.

02:52 Here, we have the radial artery and we can see the dorsal carpal branch of the ulnar artery is now contributing this dorsal arch.

03:00 We can see coming away from this dorsal arch, we have the dorsal metacarpal arteries and they're passing distally over the metacarpals, giving rise to dorsal digital arteries that go and supply the digits.

03:13 The blood supply to the hand is incredibly complicated.

03:16 And again, you should look at your own learning objectives and curriculum to see how much detail you need to go into.

03:21 But ultimately, radial and the ulnar arteries supply branches that form these deep and superficial palmar arches.

03:29 From there, you have both metacarpal and digital arteries that go to supply the metacarpals and the digits.