- See:
Arterial Development of the Limbs:
- Embryologic Anatomy:
-
subclavian artery projects into early upper limb bud in axial position, its
proximal portion becoming subclavian-axillary- brachial
trunk, & its distal
portion becoming interosseous artery that initially supplies a plexus of
arteries in the primitive hand;
- branch of trunk artery, median artery, temporarily replaces interosseous
artery in supplying hand;
- later, ulnar & then
radial artery are formed & supply majority of forearm
& of
superficial &
deep palmar arches of hand that arise from
primitive plexus;
- Adult Anatomy:
- absent < 5% of population;
- originates from interossea communis artery in 38%, from interossea anterior artery
in 35%, and the ulnaris-interossea communis artery in 10%;
- in majority of cases, median artery ends principally with many branches in the
FDS, proximal to the wrist level;
- less than 2% participate in the palmar vascular arches of the hand;
- when present at the wrist, the median artery is often associated w/ a bifid
(high division) of the
median nerve;
Can simple release relieve symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome caused by a persistent median artery? Clinical experience.
