The Common Digital Artery

The common digital or large metacarpal artery is the direct continuation of the posterior radial. It descends in the carpal canal along the inner side of the flexor tendons in company with the inner branch of the median nerve and a satellite vein. Continuing down the limb it preserves this relation to the tendons to the distal third of the metacarpus, where it inclines toward the middle line of the limb behind the suspensory ligament, and divides into the internal and external digital arteries. In the metacarpus the artery is related to the vein in front and the artery behind, and is covered by the fascia and skin. It furnishes collateral branches to the suspensory ligament, the flexor tendons, and the skin.