Deep palmar arch patterns in Brazilian individuals

The deep palmar arch is very important in the blood supply to the hand. Consequently, the radial artery and the deep palmar arch were studied in 60 hands from 30 cadavers of adult Brazilian individuals, of both sexes. The cadavers belong to the Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil. The hand arteries were injected with red stained latex neoprene: the deep palmar arch was observed in 59 preparations (98.3%). The arch conformation was classified in two groups, according to the course of the radial artery through the interosseous spaces from the dorsal to the deep palmar region. In group I the radial artery passed through the first interosseous space, and was observed in 51 preparations (85.0%); in group II, the artery passed through the second interosseous space, and was observed in 8 preparations (13.3%). In each group the arches were subdivided according to the number and origin of the deep palmar branch. In group I the arch was formed by the radial artery anastomosing with one deep palmar branch in 41 cases (68.3%), and with two deep palmar branches in 10 cases (16.7%). These branches originated from the ulnar artery, ulnar proper palmar digital artery of the little finger or the common palmar digital artery of the fourth interosseous space. In group II the deep palmar arch was formed by the radial artery anastomosing with one deep palmar branch in 7 cases (11.7%) and in only one case (1.7%) with two deep palmar branches. Knowledge of the arterial variations is very important for surgical procedures in the palmar region.