Surface Anatomy and Skin
Incisions for Posterior Forearm
and Dorsum of the Head
BY
MARGENE FALLON
Surface Anatomy
Palpations:
o Olecranon
o Styloid process
o Extensor pollicis brevis
o Abductor pollicis longus
o “Anatomical snuff box”
o Bodies of metacarpal bones
Incisions
The upper arm incisions will
continue downward to the wrist.
A circular incision will be made at
the wrist.
Make an incision down the
D
B
midline of dorsum of the hand to the
root of the middle finger (A to B).
Make transverse incisions across
the knuckles to the lateral and
medial margins of hand (B to C,
then B to D).
A
C
Superficial Nerves and Vessels
Forearm and
Dorsum of Hand:
 Radial nerve
 Lateral and medial
antebrachial cutaneous
nerve
 Cephalic nerve
 Basilic nerve
Anatomical Snuff Box
 Small fossa formed by
the tendons of the
extensor pollicis
longus, abductor
pollicis longus, and
extensor pollicis
brevis.
Caution
 Cutaneous nerves of
the forearm and hand
are just deep to the
skin.
 Basilic and Cephalic
veins are also only
“skin deep”.