The Incomplete Superficial Palmar Arch.
BACKGROUND
Superficial palmar arch (SPA) is dominant vascular structure in palm of hand. In present study we described a case of Ulnar / Radiopalmar pattern of incomplete SPA in an Iranian cadaver. When the SPA is complete, the superficial palmer branches of the radial artery contribute to the ulnar artery. In incomplete type of SPA, there was no anastomosis between the ulnar and radial arteries (UA, RA).


METHODS
In the present case, the brachial artery divided into RA and UA at the cubital fossa. There was no anastomosis between radial and ulnar arteries (RA, UA) in the palm of the hand. UA gave three palmar digital arteries; proper palmar digital artery and two common palmar digital arteries. RA gave proper palmar digital artery and arteria princeps pollicis.


CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge of anatomical variation of SPA is important for the hand surgical interventions and this is a very rare variation which can be easily tested clinically by Allen's test.
School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran.
Anneh Mohammad
AM
Gharravi
Department of anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences (AJUMS), Ahvaz, Iran.
Saeed
S
Azandeh
Department of anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorram Abad, Iran.
Mohammad Reza
MR
Gholami
Department of anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences (AJUMS), Ahvaz, Iran.
Daryoush Bijan
DB
Nejad
Radial artery; Superficial palmar arch; Ulnar artery