- Embryologic Anatomy:
    - subclavian artery projects into early upper limb bud in axial position, its proximal portion becoming subclavian-axillary- brachial  
          trunk, & its distal portion becoming interosseous artery that initially supplies a plexus of arteries in the primitive hand;
          - branch of trunk artery, median artery, temporarily replaces interosseous artery in supplying hand;
          - later, ulnar & then radial artery are formed & supply majority of forearm & of superficial & deep palmar arches of hand that arise 
                 from primitive plexus;

- Adult Anatomy:
    - absent < 5% of population;
    - originates from interossea communis artery in 38%, from interossea anterior artery in 35%, and the ulnaris-interossea communis 
           artery in 10%;
    - in majority of cases, median artery ends principally with many branches in the FDS, proximal to the wrist level;
    - less than 2% participate in the palmar vascular arches of the hand;
    - when present at the wrist, the median artery is often associated w/ a bifid (high division) of the median nerve