Exam #6_Lab: Axillary Fossa Flashcards
What are the four principal contents of the axillary fossa?
1) Brachial plexus
2) Axillary a.
3) Axillary v.
4) Axillary lymph nodes
What is the axillary sheath? What is the function of the axillary sheath?
Axillary sheath= fascial sheath surrounding the axillary vessels & nerves
*****Function is to prevent spreading/ displacement during movement of the arm at the shoulder joint
Describe the course of the axillary vein.
The axillary vein is a continuation of the brachial & bascilic veins
What are the three parts of the axillary artery?
1st= First rib to pectoralis minor 2nd= Posterior to pectoralis minor 3rd= Pectoralis minor to teres major
What is the branch of the first part of the axillary artery?
Superior thoracic a.
What does the superior thoracic a. supply?
1st & 2nd intercostal spaces
What are the branches from the second part of the axillary a.?
1) Thoracoacromial trunk
2) Lateral thoracic a.
What are the branches of the thoracoacromial trunk? What is the mnemonic to remember these branches?
1) Acromial branch
2) Deltoid branches
3) Pectoral branches
4) Clavicular branches
“Cadavers Are Dead People”
What muscles do the pectoral branches supply? What artery do they branch from?
- Pectoral m.
- Thoracoacromial trunk
What does the lateral thoracic a. supply?
Serratus anterior m.
What arteries arise from the third part of the axillary artery?
1) Subscapular a.
2) Anterior circumflex humoral
3) Posterior circumflex humoral
What are the branches of the supscapular artery?
1) Circumflex scapular a.
2) Thoracodorsal a.
What does the thoracodorsal artery supply?
Latissumus dorsi m.
What is the difference between the thoracodorsal nerve & the long thoracic nerve?
Thoracodorsal= Lat. dorsi m.
Long thoracic= Serratus anterior
Which is usually bigger, the anterior or posterior circumflex humoral a?
Posterior i.e. anterior is smaller
What parts of the brachial plexus are visible in the apex of the axilla?
Cords i.e. medial, lateral, and posterior cords, which take their names from their relationship to the axillary a.
What are the terminal branches of the lateral cord?
1) Musculocutaneous n.
2) Lateral head of median n.
What muscle does the musculocutaneous nerve enter (& innervate)?
Coracobrachialis m.
What are the branches of the medial cord?
1) Medial brachial/ medial antebrachial cutaneous
2) Ulnar n.
3) Medial head of the median n.
What are the two branches of the posterior cord?
1) Axillary n.
2) Radial n.
Where is the subscapularis m?
Anterior portion of the scapula
