Flexor retinaculum of wrist

Retinaculum flexorium carpi

  • Latin synonym: Ligamentum transversum carpi; Ligamentum carpeum transversum; Ligamentum carpale transversum
  • Synonym: Transverse carpal ligament
  • Related terms: Flexor retinaculum

Definition

The flexor retinaculum (transverse carpal ligament; anterior annular ligament) is a strong, fibrous band, which arches over the carpus, converting the deep groove on the front of the carpal bones into a tunnel, through which the Flexor tendons of the digits and the median nerve pass.

It is attached, medially, to the pisiform and the hamulus of the hamate bone; laterally, to the tuberosity of the navicular, and to the medial part of the volar surface and the ridge of the greater multangular. It is continuous, above, with the volar carpal ligament; and below, with the palmar aponeurosis. It is crossed by the ulnar vessels and nerve, and the cutaneous branches of the median and ulnar nerves. At its lateral end is the tendon of theFlexor carpi radialis, which lies in the groove on the greater multangular between the attachments of the ligament to the bone.

On its volar surface the tendons of the Palmaris longus and Flexor carpi ulnaris are partly inserted; below, it gives origin to the short muscles of the thumb and little finger

This definition incorporates text from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy (20th U.S. edition of Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body, published in 1918 – from http://www.bartleby.com/107/).

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