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Vascular dominance in the forearm.

Max Haerle¹, Hans-Martin Häfner, Klaus Dietz

¹Department of Hand and Plastic Surgery, Burn Centre, University of Tübingen, Germany. maxhaerle@t-online.de

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

|April 25, 2003

Summary

The radial artery dominates forearm circulation and vascularization of the hand, despite the ulnar artery being dominant near the elbow. This finding has implications for invasive procedures.

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Area of Science:

Vascular Anatomy and Physiology
Anatomic Studies
Hemodynamics

Background:

The relative dominance of the radial and ulnar arteries in forearm circulation and their contribution to hand vascularization is debated.
Understanding arterial dominance is crucial for clinical interventions and interpreting hemodynamic data.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the predominance of the radial or ulnar artery at the forearm level.
To determine the primary source of vascularization to the hand.
To assess hemodynamic implications for invasive procedures.

Main Methods:

Anatomical dissection of 40 fresh cadaver upper extremities.
Color Doppler sonography in 22 individuals (44 hands).
Five-channel plethysmography in 40 individuals (40 right hands).

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Main Results:

The ulnar artery is dominant proximal to the elbow.
The radial artery becomes the dominant artery in the distal forearm after collateral branching.
The radial artery is the major source of vascularization to the hand; the ulnar artery is less physiologically important distally.

Conclusions:

The radial artery is the predominant artery supplying the hand.
There is no hemodynamic basis to prefer the radial over the ulnar artery for invasive maneuvers.
Findings clarify the functional anatomy of forearm arteries.