The blood supply of the nerves of the hand in fetuses and newborns

Abstract

The study investigates the arterial blood supply of the hand nerves in human fetuses and newborns. Based on anatomical examination of 30 upper limbs, it was established that the sources of blood supply to the ulnar, median, and radial nerves and their branches are highly variable, with multiple arterial contributions forming complex intraneural vascular networks. The variability concerns both the number and combination of arterial sources and the extent of vascular territories, which may differ even between the right and left limbs of the same individual. These findings highlight the importance of detailed anatomical knowledge of nerve vascularization for neurosurgical practice, particularly in procedures involving the peripheral nerves of the hand.