Corpus: Dorsal carpal arch
From Latin: "rete" means network, referring to a complex, interconnected system or structure.
Synonyms: Dorsal carpal arch, dorsal carpal network
Definition
The dorsal carpal network (Rete carpale dorsale) is an arterial network on the dorsal side of the wrist that supplies the dorsal parts of the wrist, the metacarpus, and the fingers through its branches.
Course
The dorsal carpal network is formed by vascular anastomoses of the dorsal carpal branch of the ulnar artery and the dorsal carpal branch of the radial artery. It also receives contributions from the anterior interosseous artery, which crosses to the dorsal side of the forearm proximal to the pronator quadratus muscle through the interosseous membrane, and from the posterior interosseous artery. From it arise the dorsal metacarpal arteries II-V, which further distally branch into the dorsal digital arteries.
See also: Palmar carpal network