Objective To study the anatomic data of the first metatarsal dorsal artery and to provide anatomical basis for clinical tissue transplantation based on the first metatarsal dorsal artery.Methods The 16 adult cadaver specimens with 32 feet were dissected and meas-ured by vernier caliper.Then the anatomic data of the first metatarsal dorsal artery were analyzed.Results Through the examinations of 32 feet sample,the first metatarsal dorsal artery were classified into 5 types.Type Ⅰ:the first metatarsal dorsal artery runs at the surface of the first dorsal interosseous muscle (13 sides,40.6%).Type Ⅱ:the first metatarsal dorsal artery runs in the interior of the first dorsal interosse-ous muscle (11sides,34.4%).Type Ⅲ:the first metatarsal dorsal artery runs underneath the first dorsal interosseous muscle (6 sides, 18.8%).Type Ⅳ:the first metatarsal dorsal artery is slender (1 side,3.1%).TypeⅤ:the first metatarsal dorsal artery is absent (1 side, 3.1%).Distance relationship was measured between the first metatarsal bone and the first metatarsal dorsal artery:the vertical distance be-tween the origin of the posterior branch of the first metatarsal dorsal artery and base of the first metatarsal bone was (2.4 ±0.3)mm,the ver-tical distance between the origin of the posterior branch of the first metatarsal dorsal artery and head of the first metatarsal bone was (10.1 ±1.0)mm;the vertical distance between the origin of the anterior branch of the first metatarsal dorsal artery and the first metatarso-phalangeal joint was (7.6 ±2.7)mm.Conclusion The first metatarsal dorsal artery has clinical reference significance for the hands and feet’s trauma and skin flap transplantation such as thumb reconstruction.