Sachs M
Acta Anat (Basel). 1987;128(2):110-23.
During the clinical investigation of 570 soldiers of the German army, we were not able to feel the pulse in 5 cases at the typical place of the radial pulse in the distal part of the forearm. In these 5 cases we were able to find a subcutaneous artery which coursed superficial to the anatomical snuffbox and crossed superficial to the tendon of the extensor pollicis longus muscle. This superficial radial artery enters the deep aspect of the palm between the first and the second metacarpale bones. In three cases we found a bilateral occurrence of this artery, the other variations were observed unilaterally, two on the right side and one on the left side of the forearm. In the family of two patients other members were found who had the same variation of the radial artery. In one of the cases an arteriography of the vessels was made to find the exact anatomical course of the observed variation. We compared our results with the literature on this variation of the radial artery and found agreement on the following course for this vessel. The radial artery divides in the distal fourth of the forearm (5-7 cm proximal to the wrist joint) into two branches. The dorsal branch courses subcutaneously over the tendon of the brachioradialis muscle and runs over the tendon of the extensor pollicis longus muscle to enter the deep aspect of the palm in the first metacarpal space. This dorsal branch courses parallel to the superficial branch of the radial nerve. The palmar branch can be regarded as the 'normal' radial artery, which continues along the medial border of the brachioradialis muscle and courses deep under the tendons of the dorsal muscles of the thumb. The rare appearance (frequency approximately 1%) of a superficial radial artery in man has probably some phylogenetic importance. This is proven by studies on the comparative anatomy of mammals. This variation of the radial artery seems to be homologous to the superficial radial artery which is described in many lower mammals. In human embryos a superficial radial artery is found as well which courses parallel to the superficial branch of the radial nerve and ends on the dorsal side of the hand. Taking all the anatomical and embryological facts into consideration we propose to name this variation of the radial artery the 'arteria radialis superficialis'.
在对570名德国军队士兵进行临床检查时，我们在前臂远端桡动脉的典型部位有5例未能摸到脉搏。在这5例中，我们发现一条皮下动脉，它走行于解剖学鼻烟壶表面，越过拇长伸肌腱表面。这条桡浅动脉在第一和第二掌骨之间进入手掌深部。3例发现该动脉双侧存在，其他变异为单侧，右侧2例，左侧前臂1例。在2例患者的家族中，发现其他成员也有相同的桡动脉变异。其中1例进行了血管造影，以确定观察到的变异的确切解剖走行。我们将结果与关于桡动脉这种变异的文献进行了比较，发现该血管的走行如下是一致的。桡动脉在前臂远端四分之一处（腕关节近端5 - 7厘米）分为两支。背侧支在肱桡肌腱表面皮下走行，越过拇长伸肌腱进入第一掌骨间隙的手掌深部。该背侧支与桡神经浅支平行走行。掌侧支可视为“正常”的桡动脉，它沿肱桡肌内侧缘延续，在拇指背侧肌肌腱深面走行。人类中桡浅动脉的罕见出现（频率约为1%）可能具有某种系统发育意义。这已通过对哺乳动物比较解剖学的研究得到证实。桡动脉的这种变异似乎与许多低等哺乳动物中描述的桡浅动脉同源。在人类胚胎中也发现了一条桡浅动脉，它与桡神经浅支平行走行，止于手的背侧。综合所有解剖学和胚胎学事实，我们建议将这种桡动脉变异命名为“桡浅动脉（arteria radialis superficialis）”。
