Three-dimensional analysis of 220 cadaveric hands to the submacroscopic level was done with clear stereoscopic arteriographs. The superficial palmar arch could be grouped into complete (96.4%) and incomplete (3.6%) arches. The complete arch was divided into four types on the basis of the terminal formation of the deep palmar arch. In the deep palmar arch, the complete arch was seen in 76.9% of the hands. This rate was smaller than that in other reports. The second dorsal metacarpal artery was seen in 92%. With regard to formation of the deep palmar arch, half of all the cases exhibited collateral pathways for the palmar side from the dorsum, sometimes the main arterial source of the deep palmar arch. The blood supply of the thumb comes mainly from the princeps pollicis artery, the terminal branch of the superficial palmar arch, and the first dorsal metacarpal artery, which originates from the radial artery or from different combinations of these arteries. The arteries of the thumb are classified by their anatomic course. The princeps pollicis artery (first palmar metacarpal artery) was absent in 2.4%.

Aged↗

PubMed1985

Study of arterial patterns of the hand in primates. Deep palmar arterial arches and their correlating arteries in Macaca fuscata.

Study of the arterial patterns of the hand in Macaca fuscata, especially those of the deep palmar arterial arches and their correlating arteries, by three-dimensional arteriographic analysis revealed the following: (1) The deep palmar arterial arches are formed by the perforating branches of the 2nd dorsal metacarpal artery, and they are usually composed of two proximal arches (catella volaris proximalis and arcus volaris profundus) and one distal arch (catella volaris distalis). (2) In the 3rd and 4th metacarpal interosseous spaces, the intermetacarpal arteries arise from the catella volaris proximalis, and the arcus volaris profundus has palmar metacarpal arteries which descend along the palmar side of each metacarpal bone. (3) There is a definite regularity in the formation of the intermetacarpal arteries between the catella volaris proximalis and the catella volaris distalis and of the palmar metacarpal arteries between the arcus volaris profundus and the catella volaris distalis.

Angiography↗

PubMed1982

Digital nerve grafts in replanted digits.

In most cases where digits have been amputated by avulsion and the digital nerve extensively injured, primary nerve suture cannot be performed. For such a digit when replanted, secondary nerve grafting was done under the operating microscope using a lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Two years after operation, two-point discrimination of these cases proved to be 10.5 mm on average. And in the case of the transplanted three strand cable graft, using a lateral femoral cutaneous nerve yielded the most favourable results. The replacement was superior to the side receiving primary crushed nerve suture. Sensory nerve action potentials indicate that the regenerated nerve does not necessarily mature sufficiently. The recovery of sensitivity even to this degree however was sufficient for the replanted digits to be useful in all cases.

Action Potentials↗