[TA] arterial branches that penetrate a wall or pass from the anterior to the posterior aspect or compartment of a structure such as the hand or foot to anastomose or be distributed. Terminologia Anatomica lists perforating branches of the following: 1) deep palmar arch (rami perforantes arcus palmaris profundi [TA]); 2) fibular artery (ramus perforans fibularis [TA]); 3) internal thoracic artery (rami perforantes arteriae thoracicae internae [TA]); 4) anterior interosseous artery (ramus perforans arteriae interossei anterioris [TA]); and 5) plantar metatarsal arteries (rami perforantes arteriarum metatarsearum plantarium [TA]). SYN: ramus perforans [TA].