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Lateral tarsal artery

The lateral tarsal artery (Latin: arteria tarsalis lateralis) is a blood vessel in the foot that arises from the dorsalis pedis artery. It provides arterial blood supply to the lateral side of the foot, including adjacent lateral muscles of the foot.

The lateral tarsal artery originates at the level of the talus. Then it passes in an arched manner laterally below the extensor hallucis brevis and extensor digitorum brevis muscles. At the level of the base of the 5th metatarsal bone, the lateral tarsal artery anastomoses with the arcuate artery.