Blood and nerve supply in the Respiratory System Flashcards
What is the internal thoracic artery?
Supplied from the subclavian artery. It is an artery that supplies the anterior chest wall and the breasts. It is a paired artery, with one running along each side of the sternum, to continue after its bifurcation as the superior epigastric and musculophrenic arteries. It travels downward on the inside of the ribcage, approximately a centimeter from the sides of the sternum, and thus medial to the nipple. It is accompanied by the internal thoracic vein. It runs deep to the external oblique, but superficial to the vagus nerve.
What is the posterior thoracic artery?
The posterior intercostal arteries are arteries that supply blood to the intercostal spaces. There are eleven posterior intercostal arteries on each side. The lower nine arteries are the aortic intercostals, so called because they arise from the back of the thoracic aorta.
