Human Anatomy Vol 1

UPPER LIMB

lower

Axillary nerve

in quadrangular

space

Teres major

Radial nerve

in lower

triangular

space

Long head

of kiceps

brachii

Fig.4.4: Muscles forming the posterior wall of axilla with their

nerve supply

4 Five groups of axillary lymph nodes and the

associated lymphatics.

5 The long thoracic and intercostobrachial nerves.

5 Axillary fat and areolar tissue in which the other

contents are embedded.

Loyoul

L Axillary artery and the brachial plexus of nerves run

from the apex to the base along the lateral wall of

the axilla, nearer the anterior wall than the posterior

wall.

2 The thoracic branches of the axillary artery lie in

contact with the pectoral muscles, the lateral thoracic

vessels running along the lower border of the

pectoralis minor.

a. The subscapular vessels run along the

border of the subscapularis.

b. The subscapular nerve and the thoracodorsal

nerve (nerve to latissimus dorsi) cross the anterior

surface of the subscapularis (Fig. 4.4).

c. The circumflex scapular vessels wind round the

lateral border of the scapula.

d. The axillary nerve and the posterior circumflex

humeral vessels pass backwards close to the

surgical neck of the humerus.

4 a. The medial wall of the axilla is avascular, except

for a few smallbranches from the superior thoracic

artery.

b. The long thoracic nerve (nerve to the serratus

anterior) descends on the surface of the muscle

(Fig. a.s).

c. The intercostobrachial nerve pierces the antero-

superiorpart of the medialwall and crosses the spa-

ces to reach the medial side of the arrn(see Fig. 3.3).

5 The axillary lymph nodes are^20 to^30 in number,

and are arranged in five sets.

a. The anterior group lies along the lower border of

the pectoralis minor, on the lateral thoracic vessels.

b. The posterior group lies along the lower margin

of the posterior wall along the subscapular vessels

(Fig. a.11).

c. The lateral group lies posteromedial to the axillary

veln.

d. The central group lies in the fat of the axilla.

e. The apical group lies behind and above the

pectoralis minor, medial to the axillary vein.

AXIIIARY ARTERY

Axillary artery is the continuation of the subclavian

artery. It extends from the outer border of the first rib

Posterior cord of

brachial plexus

Subscapularis

with nerve

supply

Teres major with

nerve supply

Latissimus dorsi

with nerve supply

Subscapular nerves

Teres major

Long head and short head

of biceps brachii

Lateral pectoral nerve

Pectoralis minor and major

Medial pectoral nerve

Subscapularis

Serratus anterior

Latissimus dorsi

Nerve to serratus anterior

Axillary Sheath and its contents

ltE Coracobrachialis

=o
CL
CL
f

c

o

C)o

a Fig. 4.5: Walls and contents of axilla