Axilla Flashcards

1
Q

What is the axillary sheath and what does it surround?

A

It’s a continuation of the fascia associated with the anterior and middle scalene muscles. It continues laterally as a tubular sheath that surrounds the nerves of the brachial plexus and the axillary artery but NOT the axillary vein.

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2
Q

Where is the apex of the axilla?

A

It’s directed upward and medialward and ends in the cervicoaxillary canal leading to the posterior triangle of the neck

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3
Q

What forms the base of the axilla?

A

the axillary fascia and skin

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4
Q

What form the 4 walls of the axilla?

A

anterior: pect major/minor and clavipectoral fascia
posterio: subscapularis, teres major, latisimus dorsi

Medial: first 4 ribs, intercostal muscles and upper serratus anterior

Lateral: humerus, coracobrachialis, biceps

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5
Q

Most sttructures coursing between the neck and the axilla do so via what canal?

A

the cervicoaxillary canal

it’s bound by the clavicle, scapula, and 1st rib.

it leads to the posterior triangle of the neck

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6
Q

What nerve is the lateral branch of the T2 nerve that supplies the lateral chest wall and continues into the medial area of the arm?

A

the intercostobrachial nerve

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7
Q

Where does the axillary artery begin?

A

At the lateral border of the 1st rib

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8
Q

THe first part of the axillary artery has one artery, which is…

A

the superior thoracic artery.

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9
Q

What two arteries branch off the 2nd portion of the axillary artery?

A

the thoroacromial artery and the lateral thoracic artery

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10
Q

What three arteries branch off the 3rd portion of the axillary artery?

A

the subscapular artery

the posterior circumflex humeral artery

the anterior circumflex humeral artery

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11
Q

After coming off the 3rd portin of the axillary artery, the subscapular artery divides into what two branches?

A

the circumflex scapular artery and the thoracodorsal artery

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12
Q

What does the lateral thoracic artery supply?

A

the breast

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13
Q

What does the circumflex scapular artery do?

A

It enters the infraspinous process and forms an anastomosis with the suprascapular artery

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14
Q

What does the posterior circumflex humeral artery do after it branches off the axillary artery?

A

It accompanies the axillary nerve through the quadrangular space and encircles the humerus to anastamose with the anterior cirmculfex humeral artery

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15
Q

At the lateral border of the teres major muscle, the axillary artery because the what artery?

A

the brachial artery

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16
Q

Where is the brachial plexus located?

A

in the axilla and in the posterior triangle of the neck

17
Q

What is the posterior triangle fo the neck formed by?

A

the anterior border of the trapezius, the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid and the superior border of the clavicle

18
Q

What does the brachial plexus originate from?

A

the ventral rami (roots ) of C5-C8 and T1.

19
Q

What are the levels of division in the brachial plexus?

A
  1. Roots (the ventral rami)
  2. Trunks (superior, middle, inferior)
  3. DIvisions
  4. Cords (Lateral, Posterior, Medial)
  5. Branches (nerves)
20
Q

What is the very first nerve coming of C5 before the majority of the brachial plexus?

A

the dorsal scapular nerve to innervate the rhomboides and the levator scapulae

21
Q

What is the nerve that comes off the ventral roots of C5, C6, and C7?

A

the Long thoracic nerve to the serratus anterior

22
Q

What two neres come off the brachial plexus at the trunk level? What trunk do they come off of?

A

They come off the superior trunk (because it thinks it’s superior)

the suprascapular nerve (to the supraspinatus and infrapinsatus)

and the nerve to the subclavian nerve

23
Q

How many divisions are there at the division level of the brachial plexus?

A

6: an anterior and posterior division from each trunk

24
Q

What divisions combine to form the lateral cord?

What divisions combine to form the posterior cord?

What divisions combine to form the medial cord?

A

THe anterior divisions of the superior and middle form the lateral cord

the 3 posterior divisions form the posterior cord

the anterior division of the inferior trunk goes it alone to form the medial cord

25
Q

What branches are given off by the lateral cord?

A

It gives off 3:

  1. lateral pectoral
  2. musculocutaneous
  3. the lateral root portion of the median nerve
26
Q

What are the branchess of the posterior cord?

A

There are 5: STARS

S: upper Subscapularis

T: Thoracodorsal

A: Axillary

R: Radial

S: lower Subscapularis

27
Q

What are the branches from the medial cord?

A

There are 5 again:

  1. Ulndar nerve
  2. Median root of the median nerve
  3. Medial antebrachial cutaneous
  4. Medial brachial cutaneous
  5. Medial pectoral
28
Q

What 6 nerves have contribution from all the levels in the brachial plexus (C5, 6, 7, 8 T1)?

A
  1. Axillary nerve
  2. Radial Nerve
  3. Median Nerve
  4. Thoracodorsal nerve
  5. Upper subscapularis
  6. Lower subscapularis
29
Q

WHat 2 nerves only hav econtributions from C5 and C6?

A

the suprascapular nerve and the subclavius nerve

30
Q

What 2 nerves have contribution from C5, C6, and C7?

A

the lateral pectoral and the musculocutaneous

31
Q

What 4 nerves have contribution only from C8 and T1?

A

medial pectoral

medial brachial cutaneous

medial antebrachial cutaneous

ulnar nerve

32
Q

What cord innervates extensor muscles?

A

the posterior cord

33
Q

What causes an Erb-Duchenne palsy and what are the symptoms?

A

It’s an UPPER brachial plexus injury to the C5 and C6 roots

this occurs with an increase in angle between the neck and shoulder during a fall or delivery

You get an adducted arm with medial rotation of the arm (causing a waiter’s tip position of the hand) and an extended elbow

34
Q

Why do you get the medial rotation of the arm in Erb-Duchenne palsy?

A

The C5 and C6 ventral rami supply the lateral rotators (infraspinatus and teres minor) and the abductors of the arm (supraspinatus and deltoid)

so you get medial rotation and adduction

35
Q

What injury causes Klumpke paralysis? What are the symptoms?

A

This is a lower brachial plexus injury, which occurs when the upper limb is sudddenly pulled supriorly or a baby’s limb is pulled excessively during delivery

You get atrophy of the intrinsic (short) muscles of the hand = claw hand, because C8 and T1 derive the ulnar nerve and then a few of the smaller muscle sin the hand.

36
Q

What do we call the synovial joint between the acromion and the clavicle? WHat ligament goes along with this?

A

the acromioclavicular joint and ligament

37
Q

What ligament achors the distal clavicle to the coracoid process?

A

the coracoclavicular ligament (composed to a trapezoid and conoid part)

38
Q

What ligament extends from the acromion to the coracoid process and provides a protective arch above the head of the humerus?

A

the coracoacromial ligament

39
Q
A