Palpation of the Vessels

Vessels serve to supply and dispose of cells and are thus an elementary component of homeostasis in the organism. Both arteries and veins can be perceived as tubular structures with the fingertips. The main difference is the palpable pulse wave, which is only present in the arteries. Palpable veins are characterised by their soft structure compared to the firmer arterial vessels. In this chapter, both types of vessels are described in their palpation and the palpable representatives are discussed. An exact knowledge of the position is essential to obtain a precise palpation result. The anatomical illustrations help to better visualise the structures palpated in the teaching videos.