Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Ulnar Artery

Excerpt

The ulnar artery provides an important contribution to the vascular supply to the hand and upper extremity. It arises from the brachial artery as its larger terminal branch at the level of the cubital fossa with the brachialis muscle at its deep surface. It then passes deep to the median nerve and courses obliquely and medially (ulnarly) beneath the pronator teres, flexor carpi radialis, palmaris longus, and flexor digitorum superficialis muscles of the proximal forearm, while the flexor digitorum profundus muscle lies posteriorly to the ulnar artery. As the ulnar artery travels in the forearm, it runs deep to the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle and radial to the ulnar nerve. In the distal forearm and wrist, the ulnar artery lies between the tendons of the flexor digitorum superficialis (radially) and the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon (ulnarly). The ulnar artery enters the hand superficial to the flexor retinaculum via Guyon’s canal and terminates with a superficial branch (which forms the superficial palmar arch) and a deep branch, which contributes to the deep palmar arch.