Corpus: Princeps pollicis artery
Definition
The princeps pollicis artery is a branch of the radial artery, which supplies arterial blood to the thumb.
Anatomy
The princeps pollicis artery originates in the area of the hand from the radial artery - approximately where it makes its turn medially. It then runs between the first dorsal interosseous muscle and the oblique head of the adductor pollicis muscle on the medial side of the first metacarpal bone distally to the proximal phalanx of the thumb.
Below the tendon of the flexor pollicis longus muscle, it divides into two branches, the proper palmar digital arteries of the thumb. They continue distally on both sides of the thumb and form a vascular arch on the palmar side of the distal phalanx of the thumb, which sends fine branches to the skin and into the subcutaneous tissue of the thumb tip.