The axillary artery
The axillary artery commences at the lateral border of the first rib, as a continuation of the subclavian, and ends at the lower border of the axilla (i.e. the lower border of teres major) to become the brachial artery. It is divided into three parts by pectoralis minor and, apart from its distal extremity, it lies covered by pectoralis major.
Above pectoralis minor, the brachial plexus lies above and behind the artery, but, distal to this, the cords of the plexus take up their positions around the artery according to their names, i.e. lateral, medial and posterior.
The branches of the axillary artery supply the chest wall and shoulder; conveniently, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd parts give off one, two and three branches respectively:
• 1st part: 1, superior thoracic artery
• 2nd part: 1, acromiothoracic trunk
2, lateral thoracic artery
• 3rd part: 1, subscapular artery
2, anterior circumflex humeral artery
3, posterior circumflex humeral artery
All but the circumflex humeral vessels are encountered in the axillary dissection of a radical mastectomy.
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