Palmar metacarpal artery

Looks like

Small arteries from the deep palmar arch running forward on the deep hand muscles between the hand bones.

What it does

Supply the interosseous muscles and bones and join the common digital arteries, linking the two arches.

Keeping it well

Rarely injured alone; their links let the fingers stay supplied if the superficial arch is damaged.

Related conditions

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• De Quervain's tenosynovitis
• Dupuytren's contracture & trigger finger
• Ganglion cyst
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hypothermia & frostbite
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• Kawasaki disease
• Metabolic syndrome
• Orthostatic hypotension & POTS
• Peripheral artery disease
• Phaeochromocytoma & hyperaldosteronism
• Pre-eclampsia
• Pseudogout (calcium pyrophosphate disease)
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Repetitive strain & overuse injury
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sepsis
• Shock (circulatory failure)
• Vasculitis (GCA & others)