Anatomy of Deep Palmar Spaces

Deep space infections occur in one of the three anatomically defined potential spaces within the hand.

Deep hand space	Dorsal border	Volar border	Ulnar border	Radial border	Remarks
Thenar	Adductor pollicis	Palmar aponeurosis	Medial palmar septum	Middle palmar septum	FPL within synovial sheath, FDP and FDS for index finger, 1st lumbrical, Radial bursa, Palmar digital vessels of thumb and lateral side of index finger – these can be considered as contents or volar border
Mid-palmar	3rd, 4th and 5th metacarpals with fascia covering 3rd and 4th interossei	Palmar aponeurosis	Middle palmar septum	Lateral palmar septum	Flexor tendons of 3rd-5th fingers, 2nd-4th lumbricals, Superficial palmar arch, Digital nerves and vessels of medial 3 and 1/2 fingers, Ulnar bursa – these can be considered as contents or volar border
Hypothenar	5th metacarpal	Palmar aponeurosis	Lateral palmar septum	Hypothenar muscles
Dorsal subaponeurotic	Extensor tendons and dorsal aponeurosis	Metacarpals and dorsal fascia of interossei
Interdigital subfascial	Dorsal hand fascia and skin	Palmar fascia	Metacarpophalangeal joint and extensor tendon	Metacarpophalangeal joint and extensor tendon
Parona	Digital flexor tendons	Pronator quadratus	Flexor carpi ulnaris	Flexor pollicis longus	Continuous with midpalmar space

Epomedicine