Unilateral Incomplete Superficial Palmar Arch: a Case Report

Address for Correspondence: Dr.(Mrs) Subhra Mandal, MD (Anatomy), Associate Professor, Medical College Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Mobile no.:+919477458100 E-Mail: [email protected] The functional importance of hand is revealed by its rich vascularity contributed by superficial and deep palmar arches (SPA and DPA).Superficial palmar arch is located superficial to flexor tendons, and deep palmar arch deep to lumbrical muscles. Variations are found more often in SPA than DPA, later being more or less constant. During routine undergraduate dissection, we observed, unilateral incomplete SPA being formed by superficial palmar branches of ulnar and radial artery in the right hand of a male cadaver. These two arteries remained independent without anastomosis forming incomplete arch (SPA).The superficial branch of ulnar artery entered hand superficial to flexor retinaculum and supplied middle, ring and little finger by three branches. The superficial branch of radial artery via its two branches supplied index finger and thumb. Classical SPA formation was seen on left side. The presence of an incomplete SPA as in this case is a potential danger in RA harvesting for CABG.Variations in SPA play a pivotal role in microvascular surgical procedures of hand, RAinterventions and arterial graft applications.