Okajimas Folia Anat. Jpn., 64 (4): 193-202, October, 1987 Deep Palmar Arteries of Some Mammals, with Special Reference to the Palmar Metacarpal Arteries. By Takuro MURAKAMI, Akio KIKUTA and Takafumi NAKAI Department of Anatomy, Okayama University Medical School, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama 700, Japan -Received for Publication, May 28, 1987- Key words: forepaw, deep metacarpal arteries, palmar metacarpal arteries, proximal perfora- ting branches, deep palmar arch Summary: In the dog, raccoon dog, cat and rabbit, the second proximal perforating branch was fully developed forming the deep palmar arch. The catella volaris proximalis was only observed in the rabbit. The palmar metacarpal arteries arose from the deep palmar arch or catella volaris proximalis, and descended in the deep palm to finally connect with the palmar digital arteries at the end of the metacarpus. Regardless of their origin and termination, the palmar metacarpal arteries could be classified into four kinds of arteries: (1) sM arteries descending on the palmar surface of the interosseous muscles along the metacarpal bones, (2) sI arteries descending on the palmar surface of the interosseous muscles along the intermetacarpal spaces, (3) dM arteries descending deep in the interosseous muscles along the metacarpal bones, and (4) dI arteries descending deep in the interosseous muscles along the intermetacrapal spaces. These findings are consistant with those of the human hand and foot (Murakami, 1969, 1971). It is well known that the deep layer of along the inteimetacarpal spaces. Such a the human metacarpus is supplied by palmar classification was also applicable to the metacarpal arteries. Murakami (1969) classi- human foot (Murakami, 1971). The present fied these metacarpal arteries in relation to paper describes these four types of arteries the interosseous muscles and metacarpal in the forepaw of some animals. bones: (1) superficial palmar metacarpal (sM) arteries descending on the palmar Materials and Methods surface of the interosseous muscles along the metacarpal bones, (2) superficial palmar Adult dog (Canis familialis), raccoon dog intermetacarpal (sI) arteries descending on (Nyctereutes viverrinus), cat (Fells domes- the palmar surface of the interosseous mu- tica) and rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) scles along the intermetacarpal spaces, were obtained from the Ritsurin Park Zoo (3) deep palmar metacarpal, (dM) arteries (Takamatsu, Kagawa) upon their death. descending deep in the interosseous muscles They were fixed with 10% formalin by along the metacarpal bones, and (4) deep vacular perfusion. After immersion in an palmar intermetacarpal (dl) arteries descen- ethanol bath for a year or longer, the left ding deep in the interosseous muscles forepaw of these animals was dissected in Address for correspondence: Takuro Murakami, Department of Anatomy, Okayama University Medical School, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama 700, Japan. 193 194 T. Murakami et a/. the dissecting room of Okayama University proper palmar digital arteries of the forepaw Medical School. digits including the first digit arose from the palmar digital arteries which was connected to palmar branch of the ulnar artery (Fig. 1, Results 2, 4). In the cat, the palmar branch of the ulnar artery was poorly developed and sup- In the dog, raccoon dog and rabbit, the Fig. 1. A diagram of pahnar view of the vascular pattern in the deep layer of the dog fore- paw. Abbreviations: see Table 1. Deep palmar arteries of some mammals 195 Fig. 2. A diagram of palmar view of the vascular pattern in the deep layer of the raccoon dog forepaw. Abbreviations: see Table 1. plied only the radial proper palmar digital in the deep palm (Fig. 3) (see below). artery of the first digit and the ulnar proper In all our animals, the dorsal branch of palmar digital artery of the fifth digit; thus the radial artery was the origin of dorsal the remaining proper palmar digital arteries metacarpal arteries and proximal perfora- arose from the palmar metacarpal arteries ting branches at the proximal ends of the 196 T. Murakami et al. Fig. 3. A diagram of palmar view of the vascular pattern in the deep layer of the cat fore- paw. Abbreviations: see Table 1. Deep palmar arteries of some mammals 197 Fig. 4. A diagram of palmar view of the vascular pattern in the deep layer of the rabbit forepaw. Abbreviations: see Table 1. 198 T. Murakami et a/. Table 1. Abbreviations in Figures 1 —4 Ad : adductor pollicis muscle Cn : contrahentes muscles Fl : flexor pollicis brevis muscle In : interosseous muscles Lm : lumbrical muscles ab : abductor digiti minimi muscle fl : flexor digiti minimi brevis muscle Fl — F5 : first — fifth fmgers c2 — c4 : palmar digital arteries (second — fourth common palmar digital arteries) pl — p4 : first — fourth proximal perforating branches da : deep palmar arch ri : radial proper palmar digital artery of the second finger nn : deep palmar branch of the ulnar artery rt : radial proper palmar digital artery of the first finger urn ulnar proper palmar digital artery of the fifth finger ut : ulnar proper palmar digital artery of the first finger dil — d14 : first — fourth deep palmar intermetacarpal arteries dM1 — dM5 : first fifth deep palmar metacarpal arteries sll — s14 : first — fourth superficial palmar intermetacarpal arteries s Ml — s M5 : first — fifth superficial palmar metacarpal arteries arrowhead : anastomoses between the deep palmar arch and catella volaris proximalis intermetacarpal spaces. The dorsal meta- except those in the pollex (see below) carpal arteries ran on the dorsal surface of could- be classified into: (1) the second to the interosseous muscles and gave rise to fifth superficial palmar metacarpal (sM2 — the proper dorsal digital arteries which were sM5) arteries descending on the palmar finer than the palmar digital arteries. The surface of the interosseous muscles along proximal perforating branches penetrated the second to fifth metacarpal bones, (2) the interosseous muscles at a level just the second to fourth superficial palmar distal to the base of the metacarpal bones. intermetacarpal sI4) arteries descend- One of these perforating branches, the ing on the palmar surface of the interos- second was fully developed and passed seous muscles along the second to fourth through the second intermetacarpal space, intermetacarpal spaces, (3) the second to forming the deep palmar arch on the palmar fifth deep palmar metacarpal (dM2 surface of the interosseous muscles with the dM5) arteries descending deep in the interos- deep palmar branch of the ulnar artery seous muscles along the second to fifth (Fig. 1-4). In the rabbit,_ the third and metacarpal_ bones, and_ (4) the second to fourth proximal perforating branches were fourth deep palmar intermetacarpal (dI2 well developed and formed the catella d14) arteries descending deep in the interos- volaris (palmaris) proximalis (Fig. 4) (see seous muscles along the second to fourth below). The deep palmar branch of the intermetacarpal spaces. ulnar artery was not observed in the cat In the pollex, the adductor pollicis mu- (Fig. 3). scle was small or poorly developed so that The palmar metacarpal arteries arose the first deep palmar inteimetacarpal (dI1) from the deep palmar arch or catella volaris and first superficial palmar intermetacarpal proximalis (Fig. 14). By their relationship (sI1) artries descended respectively along to the interosseous muscles and metacarpal the radial and ulnar margins of this muscle bones, the palmar metacarpal arteries (Figs. 2, 3). The first deep palmar meta- Deep palmar arteries of some mammaLs 199 carpal (dM1 or princeps pollicis) artery s14 arteries continued into the palmar digital descended along the first metacarpal bone, arteries. The other arteries terminated near being covered by the adductor pollicis and the metacarpophalagealjoints. flexor pollicis brevis muscles (Figs. 1, 4). The first superficial palmar metacarpal Cat (Fig. 3) (sM1) artery descended on the palmar surface of the adductor pollicis and flexor The dorsal branch of the radial artery pollicis brevis muscles along the first meta- gave off a well developed second proximal carpal bone (Fig. 2). perforating branch. This branch produced The sM, sI, dM, and dI arteries were the dIl and dM 1 arteries and gave rise to independent vessels, but their development the deep palmar arch, which gave off the varied in each case. The poorly developed d12, d13, d14 and sM5 arteries. The dn., sM, sI, dM and dI arteries teiminated only dM2, d12, d13 and d14 arteries were fully in the mid-region of the metacarpus. In developed and gave rise to the palmar contrast, the well developed sM, sI, dM and digital arteries. dI arteries reached the metacarpophalangeal joints or descended over these joints to Rabbit (Fig. 4) connect with the palmar digital arteries. The well developed sM, sI, dM and dI arteries The dorsal branch of the radial artery are described. gave off the first, second, third and fourth proximal perforating branches. The first Dog (Fig. 1) perforating branch gave rise to the dM1 artery. The second perforating branch was The dorsal branch of the radial artery well developed and gave rise to the deep gave off a well deveitga second proximal palmar arch. This palmar arch received the perforating branch. This branch produced poorly developed deep palmar branch of the dM2 artery and gave rise to the deep the ulnar artery, and gave off the s12, s13, palmar arch. This palmar arch received the and s14 arteries. The third and fourth poorly developed deep palmar branch of perforating branches anastomosed into the the ulnar artery, and gave off the dM1, s12, deep palmar arch. The third and fourth s13, sM4 and s14 arteries. The s12, and s13 perforating branches also formed the catella and s14 arteries continued into the palmar volaris proximalis between the second and digital arteries. The other arteries terminated fifth metacarpal bones, together with a near the metacarpophalangealjoints. branch of the second perforating branch. This catella gave off the dM2, dM3, dM4 and dM5 arteries.