Chapter Four: The Upper Limb Flashcards
The axilla
- space between the upper rib cage and the humerus
- the arm pit
Inside the axilla
- blood vessels, nerves and fat
Walls of the axilla
- lateral wall
- medial wall
- posterior wall
- anterior wall
Lateral wall of the axilla
- bicipital groove
Medial wall of the axilla
- serratus muscle (sits over ribs)
Posterior wall of the axilla
- subscapularis muscle
Anterior wall of the axilla
- 2 pectoralis muscles
Arteries of the axilla: arterial trunk
- passes downwards though axilla and name changes as it goes through
arteries of the axilla: subclavian artery
- passes under the clavicle and enters the apex of the axilla
arteries of the axilla: axillary artery
- sends three branches to the main axillary walls
- supplies deltoid muscle via the posterior humeral circumflex artery
arteries of the axilla: brachial artery
- when blood vessel leaves the axilla
branches of the axillary artery
lateral thoracic artery: to medial wall
thoracoacromial artery: to anterior wall
subscapular artery: to posterior wall
Veins of axilla
Venae comitantes: veins that accompany
- group of two or three veins
- travel in the axillary sheath
- empty into the subclavian vein
Lymph nodes of axilla
- several groups of interconnected lymph nodes
- pathway in the spread of cancer from the upper limbs from the breast
the brachial plexus number of roots, trunks, etc.
- (5) roots
- (3) trunks
- (6) divisions
- (3) cords
- (5) branches
brachial plexus: roots
- C5
- C6
- C7
- C8
- T1
brachial plexus: trunks
- upper, middle, lower
brachial plexus: divisions
- anterior and posterior
brachial plexus: cords
- lateral cord, medial cord, posterior cord
brachial plexus: branches (nerves)
- radial nerve
- axillary nerve
- musculotaneous nerve
- ulnar nerve
- median nerve
brachial plexus nerves: radial nerve
- biggest nerve
- comes from C5-C8 and T1 (all roots)
brachial plexus nerves: axillary nerve
- comes from C5 and C6
- goes to top of arm (deltoid)
- abduction of shoulder
brachial plexus nerves: musculocutaneous nerve
- comes from C5, C6, C7
- goes to top muscles in the arm
brachial plexus nerves: ulnar nerve
- comes from C8 and T1
- goes to lower part of arm and hand
brachial plexus nerves: median nerve
- comes from C5-C8 and T1 (all roots)
somatotopism
- upper, middle and lower innervations usually stay consistent throughout whole arm
minor nerves: dorsal scapular nerve
- comes from C5
- goes to rhomboid major and minor
minor nerves: long thoracic nerve
- comes from C5, C6, C7
- goes to serratus anterior
minor nerves: suprascapular nerve
- comes from upper trunk C5 and C6
- goes to rotator cuff muscles
- abduction of shoulder
- supraspinatus
minor nerves: lateral pectoral nerve
- comes from C5, C6, C7
- goes to pectoralis major
minor nerves: upper and lower subscapular nerve
- comes from C5 and C6
- subscapularis and teres major (rotator cuff muscles)
minor nerves: thoracodorsal nerve
- comes from C6, C7 and C8
- goes to latissimus dorsi
minor nerves: medial pectoral nerve
- comes from C8 and T1
- goes to pectoralis major and minor
minor nerves: medial cutaneous nerve of the arm and forearm
- comes from C8 and T1
- cutaneous sensation of the arm and forearm
position of scapula
- sits between T2 and T7
borders of scapula
- superior border
- medial border
- lateral border
angles of scapula
- superior angle
- inferior angle
- lateral angle
glenoid fossa of scapula
articulates with the head of the humerus
suprascapular notch
where blood vessels and nerves run through
coracoid process
in the lateral angle
spine of the scapula
- posterior ridge
- turns into the acromion
acromion
- forms the point of the shoulder
- forms acromioclavicular joint
subscapular fossa
- anterior face (slightly concave)
- subscapularis muscle originates here
infraspinous fossa
- below the spine
- posterior face (slightly concave)
supraspinous fossa
- depression above the spine
- posterior face (slightly concave)