Nerve and arterial supply to the hand in Vesalius's De Humani Corporis Fabrica

Abstract

Belgian anatomist Andreas Vesalius, in his groundbreaking medical atlas De Humani Corporis Fabrica, 1543, committed to paper two anatomical errors relating to the vascular and nervous system of the hand. In the diagrams, he depicts a highly irregular symmetrical sensory innervation of the median and ulnar nerves. He also fails to mention or illustrate the deep or superficial palmar arches.

Keywords: Hand anatomy; Medical history; Palmar arch; Ulnar nerve; Vesalius.

Fig. 1

In the frontal view of the full nervous system, the symmetrical distribution of the sensory nerves to the hand may be seen

Fig. 2

A close-up of Fig. 1 shows the nerves to the hand divided along the middle ray

Fig. 3

The Berrettini branch seen in Plate XII of the drawings by Berrettini in 1618. Berrettini is also called Pietro da Cortona

Fig. 4

A full view of the vascular system to the upper extremity shows no palmar connections between the radial and ulnar arteries

Fig. 5

A close-up of the vascular system to the hand shows no superficial or deep palmar arches

Fig. 6

The frontispiece of De Humani Corporis Fabrica showing Vesalius cradling the upper extremity which he admired “due to the marvelous labor of the supreme Creator of the world” [13]