Upper limb
Palmar digital arteries (Common and proper)
Arteriae digitales palmares (communes et propriae)
- Origin
- Arise from the superficial palmar arch and bifurcate at the digital web spaces into paired proper digital arteries
- Insertion
- Run along the lateral and medial margins of digits II–V to the distal fingertips and nail beds
- Function
- Primary arterial supply to the digits, flexor tendon sheaths, and fingertip pulp
- Innervation
- Sympathetic vasomotor fibers carried by proper palmar digital nerves
- Movement & chain
- Course along the anterolateral/anteromedial sides of the phalanges
- Palpation
- Palpable along the sides of the proximal phalanges with gentle lateral compression
- Clinical
- Vulnerable in glass/knife lacerations; Raynaud phenomenon (digital vasospasm induced by cold or emotional stress)
- Segmental innervation
- C7–T1 roots
- In clinical practice
- Central to microvascular digital replantation; digital tourniquet application must avoid crushing vessel walls
- Region in the model
- Upper limb