Vasculature of the upper extremity Flashcards
Subclavian artery
This is the primary artery providing the arm with blood.
- this will turn into the axillary artery
- this has the thyrocervical trunk branching off of it which turns into the suprascapular artery and the dorsal scapular artery
Axillary artery:
This artery is continuous with the subclavian artery from the lateral border of the first rib to the inferior border of the teres major muscle.
this artery has three sections that it can be divided into to divide up where the branches come from
1st part of the axillary artery
- this branches into the superior thoracic artery
- this section is proximal to the pectoralis minor
2nd part of the axillary artery
- this has two branches
- thoracoacromial trunk
- lateral thoracic artery
- this is the portion that is under the pectoralis minor
3rd part of the axillary artery
- this has three branches
- subscapular artery
- anterior circumflex humeral artery
- posterior circumflex humeral artery
thyrocervical trunk
this is going to branch into the suprascapular artery and the dorsal scapular artery
suprascapular artery
You can observe this in the deep dissection running over the transverse scapular ligament of the suprascapular notch and traveling to the supraspinatus.
runs through the supraspinous fossa and travels under the scapular spine to provide the infraspinous fossa
- supplies the supraspinatus and the infraspinatous
dorsal scapular artery
travels posteriorly and it travels to the medial boarder of the scapula
- supplies the levator scapulae, rhomboids, and trapezius
Superior thoracic artery:
This is the only branch off of the first part of the axillary artery.
It will run inferiorly to the superior thoracic wall.
supplies the serratus anterior
Lateral thoracic artery
This artery branches from the second part of the axillary artery and runs with the long thoracic nerve along the lateral thoracic wall to supply the lateral wall and the serratus anterior.
runs more laterally on the rib cage compared to the superior thoracic artery
supplies the serratus anterior and pectoralis muscles
Don’t confuse the lateral thoracic artery and long thoracic nerve!
Thoracoacromial trunk:
This is a short trunk off of the superior side of the second part of the axillary artery.
It branches almost immediately into four parts that supply the acromion, deltoid, pectoral muscles, and clavicle
Posterior and anterior circumflex humeral arteries
These arteries branch from the third part of the axillary artery.
They wrap around the surgical neck of the humerus and anastomose (join) with each other to provide circulation to this region via multiple routes.
They sometimes branch from a common trunk, or they can branch separately from the axillary artery.
- the posterior circumflex humeral artery runs posteriorly around the humerus with the axillary nerve, while the anterior circumflex humeral artery runs anteriorly around the humerus.
Subscapular artery
is a short branch off the third part of the axillary artery.
- but it is the largest branch
As it runs inferiorly, it gives off two branches. You can also observe these on the plastinated tissue.
gives off the circumflex scapular artery and the thoracodorsal artery
Circumflex scapular artery
This runs posteriorly around the lateral scapula.
- a branch of the subscapular artery
- this supplies the posterior inferior scapular region
- it is going to wrap around to the posterior and connect to the suprascapular artery
- this supplies the teres major and teres minor
Thoracodorsal artery:
This artery runs with the thoracodorsal nerve to the latissimus dorsi muscle.
- a branch of the subscapular artery
this is going to supply the latissimus dorsi and the serratus anterior
Brachial artery
This artery is continuous with the axillary artery at the inferior border of the teres major. It continues through the brachium to supply muscles of the anterior arm.
has a branch: the deep brachial artery
when this enters the cubital fossa it divides into the radial and ulnar arteries
deep brachial artery
- also called the profunda brachii
- a branch off the brachial artery
- this supplies the triceps
- contributes to collateral circulation of the elbow
radial artery
- a branch off the brachial artery after the cubital fossa
- runs on the lateral forearm and hand
ulnar artery
- a branch off the brachial artery after the cubital fossa
- runs on the medial forearm and hand, deep anterior and posterior forearm muscles
superficial and deep palmar arteries
These are formed from the ulnar and radial arteries.
these give off the digital arteries of the hand
scapular anastomoses
if the axillary artery is blocked proximal to the subscapular artery, a collateral pathway can be made between the branches of the axillary and subclavian arteries
this is important because it can get blood to where it needs to be by changing the flow of the blood
blood flow will be reversed in the subscapular artery to get blood to the third part of the axillary artery
cephalic vein
runs on the lateral aspect of the forearm and arm
- this drains into the axillary vein
- a superficial vein that originates on the forearm
basilic vein
runs on the medial aspect of the forearm and arm.
- this merges with the brachial to form the axillary vein
median cubital vein
- joins the basilic and cephalic veins in the cubital fossa.
The median cubital vein is a common site for blood draws.
ulnar vein
- a deep vein in the arm
- on the medial side of the arm
radial vein
- a deep vein in the arm
- on the lateral side of the arm
brachial vein
deep vein in the arm
- looks to be more posterior than the radial and ulnar
this drains the blood from the muscles of the arm
- joins the basilic vein to become the axillary vein
axillary vein
- this is the joining of the basilic and brachial veins
- this drains into the subclavian vein
subclavian vein
a paired large vein, one on either side of the body, that is responsible for draining blood from the upper extremities, allowing this blood to return to the heart.
