Anatomical Snuffbox - Wikipedia

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• 1 Structure Toggle Structure subsection
  • 1.1 Boundaries
  • 1.2 Neurovascular anatomy
• 2 Clinical significance
• 3 Additional images
• 4 See also
• 5 References
• 6 External links

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Appearance move to sidebar hide From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Indent on back of hand between tendons "Tabatière" redirects here. For the rifle, see Tabatière rifle.

Anatomical snuffbox
Anatomical snuffbox
The mucous sheaths of the tendons on the back of the wrist. (Anatomical snuffbox not labeled, but visible at right.)
Details
Artery	Radial artery
Vein	Cephalic vein
Nerve	Radial nerve
Identifiers
Latin	fovea radialis
TA2	301
FMA	42329
Anatomical terminology[edit on Wikidata]

The anatomical snuff box or snuffbox or foveola radialis is a triangular deepening on the radial, dorsal aspect of the hand—at the level of the carpal bones, specifically, the scaphoid and trapezium bones forming the floor. The name originates from the use of this surface for placing and then sniffing powdered tobacco, or "snuff."[1] It is sometimes referred to by its French name tabatière.

Structure

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Boundaries

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• The medial border (ulnar side) of the snuffbox is the tendon of the extensor pollicis longus
• The lateral border (radial side) is a pair of parallel and intimate tendons, of the extensor pollicis brevis and the abductor pollicis longus.[2] (Accordingly, the anatomical snuffbox is most visible, having a more pronounced concavity, during thumb extension.)
• The proximal border is formed by the styloid process of the radius
• The distal border is formed by the approximate apex of the schematic snuffbox isosceles triangle.
• The floor of the snuffbox varies depending on the position of the wrist, but both the trapezium and primarily the scaphoid can be palpated.

Neurovascular anatomy

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Deep to the tendons which form the borders of the anatomical snuff box lies the radial artery, which passes through the anatomical snuffbox on its course from the normal radial pulse detecting area, to the proximal space in between the first and second metacarpals to contribute to the superficial and deep palmar arches. In the anatomical snuffbox, the radial artery is closely related (<2 mm) with the superficial branch of radial nerve near the styloid process of radius in 48%, while in 24% the radial artery is openly related to the lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm.[3] The cephalic vein arises within the anatomical snuffbox, while the dorsal cutaneous branch of the radial nerve can be palpated by stroking along the extensor pollicis longus with the dorsal aspect of a fingernail.

Clinical significance

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The radius and scaphoid articulate deep to the snuffbox to form the basis of the wrist joint. In the event of a fall onto an outstretched hand (FOOSH), this is the area through which the brunt of the force will focus. This results in these two bones being the most often fractured of the wrist. In a case where there is localized tenderness within the snuffbox, knowledge of wrist anatomy leads to the speedy conclusion that the fracture is likely to be of the scaphoid. This is understandable as the scaphoid is a small, oddly shaped bone whose purpose is to facilitate mobility rather than confer stability to the wrist joint [citation needed]. In the event of inordinate application of force over the wrist, this small scaphoid is likely to be the weak link [citation needed]. Scaphoid fracture is one of the most frequent causes of medico-legal issues.

An anatomical anomaly in the vascular supply to the scaphoid is the area to which the blood supply is first delivered. Blood enters the scaphoid distally. Consequently, in the event of a fracture the proximal segment of the scaphoid will be devoid of a vascular supply, and will—if action is not taken—avascularly necrose within a sufferer's snuffbox. Due to the small size of the scaphoid and its shape, it is difficult to determine, early on, whether or not the scaphoid is indeed fractured with an x-ray. Further complications include; carpal instability (ligament disruption) and fracture-dislocations.

Additional images

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• Tendons of forefinger and vincula tendina.
• The veins on the dorsum of the hand.
• Palm of left hand, showing position of skin creases and bones, and surface markings for the volar arches.
• A particularly cavernous anatomical snuff box.
• Schematic drawing of anatomical snuffbox.

See also

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• Anatomical terminology
• Anatomical terms of bone
• Cephalic vein

References

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1. ^ Hallett, Sasha; Jozsa, Felix; Ashurst, John V. (2025), "Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Hand Anatomical Snuff Box", StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, PMID 29489241, retrieved 2025-01-10
2. ^ "Chapter 10: THE FOREARM". Archived from the original on 9 December 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
3. ^ Robson, A. J.; See, M. S.; Ellis, H. (2008). "Applied anatomy of the superficial branch of the radial nerve". Clinical Anatomy. 21 (1): 38–45. doi:10.1002/ca.20576. ISSN 1098-2353. PMID 18092362.

External links

[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anatomical snuff box.

• "Instant Anatomy"

v t e Human surface anatomy and general regions
Head	Marionette lines Nasolabial fold Philtrum Commissure of lips Vermilion border Glabella Brow ridge Nostril Nose
Neck	Triangles: Anterior Muscular Carotid Submandibular Submental Posterior Occipital Subclavian Suboccipital Supraclavicular fossa
Thorax	Triangle of auscultation Clavipectoral triangle Inframammary fold Infraclavicular fossa
Arm	Cubital fossa Anatomical snuffbox
Abdomen/pelvis	regions Epigastrium Hypochondrium Umbilical region Flank Hypogastrium Inguinal region Quadrants Lumbar triangle McBurney's point Desjardins' point Traube's space
Perineal	Anal triangle Urogenital triangle
Leg	Buttocks Gluteal sulcus Intergluteal cleft Femoral triangle Popliteal fossa Lap

v t e Muscles of the arm
Shoulder	deltoid rotator cuff supraspinatus infraspinatus teres minor subscapularis teres major fascia: deltoid fascia supraspinous fascia infraspinous fascia
Arm(compartments)	anterior coracobrachialis biceps brachialis posterior triceps brachii anconeus articularis cubiti fascia axillary sheath axillary fascia brachial fascia intermuscular septa lateral medial other spaces quadrangular space triangular space triangular interval
Forearm(compartments)	anterior superficial: pronator teres palmaris longus flexor carpi radialis flexor carpi ulnaris flexor digitorum superficialis deep: pronator quadratus flexor digitorum profundus flexor pollicis longus posterior superficial: mobile wad brachioradialis extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis extensor digitorum extensor digiti minimi extensor carpi ulnaris deep: supinator anatomical snuffbox abductor pollicis longus extensor pollicis brevis extensor pollicis longus extensor indicis fascia bicipital aponeurosis common tendons extensor flexor antebrachial fascia other cubital tunnel osborne's ligament
Hand	lateral volar thenar opponens pollicis flexor pollicis brevis abductor pollicis brevis adductor pollicis medial volar hypothenar opponens digiti minimi flexor digiti minimi brevis abductor digiti minimi palmaris brevis intermediate lumbrical interossei dorsal palmar fascia posterior: extensor retinaculum extensor expansion anterior: flexor retinaculum palmar aponeurosis

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