Quick Facts
Origin: Common palmar digital arteries.
Course: Distally from metacarpophalangeal joint to distal tips of the distal phalanges.
Branches: No named branches.
Supplied Structures: Metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints, palmar aspect of the digits, and dorsal and palmar aspect of distal finger including nail bed.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The proper palmar digital arteries arise from the common palmar digital arteries.
Course
The proper palmar digital arteries run distally from the metacarpophalangeal joint to the tips of the distal phalanges.
Each common palmar digital artery gives off two proper palmar digital branches, which course distally along medial and lateral aspects of the digits. For example, the first common palmar digital artery bifurcates into proper digital branches that travel along the medial side of the second digit and the lateral side of the third digit. However, the palmar digital arteries of the thumb arise from the princeps pollicis artery (Standring, 2016).
Branches
The terminal branches of each proper digital artery form arterial arcades at the distal tip of each digit.
Supplied Structures
The proper palmar digital arteries are the primary supply to the digits and supply the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints, as well as the phalanges. They also contribute to the supply of the nail bed.
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Artery
Arteries are vessels transporting blood between heart, tissues, and other organs in order to supply them with nutrition and oxygen.
