Superior thoracic artery

Last updated
Superior thoracic artery
Axillary branches.PNG
The axillary artery and its branches (superior throracic artery is the upper-rightmost artery)
Details
Source Axillary artery
Branches Anastomoses with intercostal arteries and/or internal thoracic artery
Supplies Serratus anterior
Identifiers
Latin arteria thoracica superior
TA98 A12.2.09.004
TA2 4618
FMA 22668
Anatomical terminology

The superior thoracic artery (highest thoracic artery) is a small artery [1] located near the armpit.[ citation needed ] It usually originates from (the first division of) the axillary artery, but can instead originate from the thoracoacromial artery (itself a branch of the second division of the axillary artery). It supplies the pectoralis minor and major muscles, and the chest wall. [1]

Contents

Anatomy

Course and relations

It passes anteromedially along medial upper border of the pectoralis before passing between pectoralis minor and pectoralis major to reach the chest wall. [1]

Anastomoses

It forms anastomoses with the internal thoracic artery, and upper intercostal arteries. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scapula</span> Bone that connects the humerus (upper arm bone) with the clavicle (collar bone)

The scapula, also known as the shoulder blade, is the bone that connects the humerus with the clavicle. Like their connected bones, the scapulae are paired, with each scapula on either side of the body being roughly a mirror image of the other. The name derives from the Classical Latin word for trowel or small shovel, which it was thought to resemble.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thorax</span> Frontal part of an animals body, between its head and abdomen

The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of mammals and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the creature's body, each of which is in turn composed of multiple segments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deltoid muscle</span> Shoulder muscle

The deltoid muscle is the muscle forming the rounded contour of the human shoulder. It is also known as the 'common shoulder muscle', particularly in other animals such as the domestic cat. Anatomically, the deltoid muscle appears to be made up of three distinct sets of muscle fibers, namely the

  1. anterior or clavicular part
  2. posterior or scapular part
  3. intermediate or acromial part
<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pectoralis major</span> Main human chest muscle

The pectoralis major is a thick, fan-shaped or triangular convergent muscle of the human chest. It makes up the bulk of the chest muscles and lies under the breast. Beneath the pectoralis major is the pectoralis minor muscle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pectoralis minor</span> Human chest muscle that protracts the shoulder

Pectoralis minor muscle is a thin, triangular muscle, situated at the upper part of the chest, beneath the pectoralis major in the human body. It arises from ribs III-V; it inserts onto the coracoid process of the scapula. It is innervated by the medial pectoral nerve. Its function is to stabilise the scapula by holding it fast in position against the chest wall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Axilla</span> Area of the human body beneath the joint between arm and torso

The axilla is the area on the human body directly under the shoulder joint. It includes the axillary space, an anatomical space within the shoulder girdle between the arm and the thoracic cage, bounded superiorly by the imaginary plane between the superior borders of the first rib, clavicle and scapula, medially by the serratus anterior muscle and thoracolumbar fascia, anteriorly by the pectoral muscles and posteriorly by the subscapularis, teres major and latissimus dorsi muscle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teres minor muscle</span> Muscle of the rotator cuff

The teres minor is a narrow, elongated muscle of the rotator cuff. The muscle originates from the lateral border and adjacent posterior surface of the corresponding right or left scapula and inserts at both the greater tubercle of the humerus and the posterior surface of the joint capsule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serratus anterior muscle</span> Muscle on the surface of the ribs

The serratus anterior is a muscle of the chest. It originates at the side of the chest from the upper 8 or 9 ribs; it inserts along the entire length of the anterior aspect of the medial border of the scapula. It is innervated by the long thoracic nerve from the brachial plexus. The serratus anterior acts to pull the scapula forward around the thorax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Axillary artery</span> Large blood vessel bringing oxygenated blood to the thorax

In human anatomy, the axillary artery is a large blood vessel that conveys oxygenated blood to the lateral aspect of the thorax, the axilla (armpit) and the upper limb. Its origin is at the lateral margin of the first rib, before which it is called the subclavian artery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lateral thoracic artery</span> Large blood vessel

In the human body, the lateral thoracic artery is a blood vessel that supplies oxygenated blood to approximately one-third of the lateral structures of the thorax and breast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Subclavius muscle</span> Muscle between the clavicle and first rib

The subclavius is a small triangular muscle, placed between the clavicle and the first rib. Along with the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles, the subclavius muscle makes up the anterior axioappendicular muscles, also known as anterior wall of the axilla.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thoracoacromial artery</span>

The thoracoacromial artery is a short trunk that arises from the second part of the axillary artery, its origin being generally overlapped by the upper edge of the pectoralis minor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medial pectoral nerve</span>

The medial pectoral nerve is (typically) a branch of the medial cord of the brachial plexus and is derived from spinal nerve roots C8-T1. It provides motor innervation to the pectoralis minor muscle, and the lower half of the pectoralis major muscle. It runs along the inferior border of the pectoralis minor muscle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lateral pectoral nerve</span>

The lateral pectoral nerve arises from the lateral cord of the brachial plexus, and through it from the C5-7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clavipectoral fascia</span>

The clavipectoral fascia is a strong fascia situated under cover of the clavicular portion of the pectoralis major.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sternalis muscle</span> Muscle seen in some humans

The sternalismuscle is an anatomical variation that lies in front of the sternal end of the pectoralis major parallel to the margin of the sternum. The sternalis muscle may be a variation of the pectoralis major or of the rectus abdominis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pectoral fascia</span>

The pectoral fascia is a thin lamina, covering the surface of the pectoralis major, and sending numerous prolongations between its fasciculi: it is attached, in the middle line, to the front of the sternum; above, to the clavicle; laterally and below it is continuous with the fascia of the shoulder, axilla, and thorax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Axillary lymph nodes</span> Lymph nodes in the human armpit

The axillary lymph nodes or armpit lymph nodes are lymph nodes in the human armpit. Between 20 and 49 in number, they drain lymph vessels from the lateral quadrants of the breast, the superficial lymph vessels from thin walls of the chest and the abdomen above the level of the navel, and the vessels from the upper limb. They are divided in several groups according to their location in the armpit. These lymph nodes are clinically significant in breast cancer, and metastases from the breast to the axillary lymph nodes are considered in the staging of the disease.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pectoral axillary lymph nodes</span>

An anterior or pectoral group consists of four or five glands along the lower border of the Pectoralis minor, in relation with the lateral thoracic artery.

An accessory muscle is a relatively rare anatomical variation where duplication of a muscle may appear anywhere in the muscular system. Treatment is not indicated unless the accessory muscle interferes with normal function.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Standring, Susan (2020). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (42nd ed.). New York. p. 921. ISBN   978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC   1201341621.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)