Axillary Artery | Angiology | Anjani Mishra

Written by Anjani Mishra


Brachiocephalic trunk

  • This vessels originates from the aortic arch at the level of 4th rib and proceeds cranially. It is also termed as anterior aorta. It is about 10-12 cm in length.
  • The brachiocephalic trunk leaves the pericardium and passes forward in the cranial mediastinum. It is related dorsally to the trachea and laterally to the vagus and phrenic nerve at the left side and anterior venacava at the right side.
  • It detaches the left axillary (subclavian) artery at the level of second intercostal space and the right axillary artery at the level of first rib. After the origin of these two arteries, the brachiocephalic trunk continues forward as bicarotid trunk or common carotid artery. The bicarotid trunk is usually 5cm in length.
  • In dogs, the left axillary artery arises directly from the aortic arch.
  • About 4cm. close to the thoracic inlet and ventral to the trachea, the bicarotid trunk bifurcates into left and right common carotid arteries.

Axillary artery (subclavian artery)

The axillary artery left and right arise from brachiocephalic trunk that differ in origin. The right axillary artery is somewhat shorter than the left axillary artery. They gives off branches supplying the head, neck, thoracic limb and the cranial portion of the thoracic cavity.

Both left and right axillary arteries have intra-thoracic and extra-thoracic part

Left axillary artery (intra-thoracic part)

 The branches of intra-thoracic part of left axillary artery are as follows;

  1. Costo-cervical artery
  2. Superficial cervical artery
  3. Internal thoracic artery

1.      1.   Costo-cervical artery

            It is further sub-divided into four types;

A.    Dorsal artery

B.    Intercostal artery

C.    Deep cervical artery

D.    Vertebral artery

A.    Dorsal artery-

  • Sometimes it originates commonly with intercostal artery.
  • It ascends under the serratus cervices, towards the anterior angle of scapula and ramify to the upper parts of trapezius and rhomboideus muscles. 

B.    Intercostal artery-

  • This vessels goes upward and backward and divides into few branches to form second to fourth intercostal arteries. The first intercostal artery also sometimes originates from this vessel. 

C.    Deep cervical artery-

  • It is variable in its origin. It courses upward and forward at the level of 7th cervical vertebra, reaches the dorsal and lateral aspect of the neck and provides branches to longissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboideus, serratus cervicis, splenius. 

D.    Vertebral artery-

  • As the continuation of the costo-cervical artery, this vessel passes forward and enters the transverse foramen through the foramen transversarium of the 6th cervical vertebra.
  • At the level of each intervertebral foramen, it detaches a spinal artery for the spinal cord and meninges. The spinal branches inside the spinal canal divide and join with the adjoining vessels to form dorsal and ventral spinal arteries.
  • The vertebral artery reaches the level between second and third cervical vertebrae gives off anastomotic branch to occipital artery and enters the vertebral canal.
  • Here it detaches a small branch which joins with condylar artery and the main trunk continues as descending branch.
  • On the way it supplies branches to the muscles of head and neck. 

2.      2.  Superficial cervical artery-

It originates from the axillary artery at the level of 1st rib. It passes downward and forward and divides into a number of branches to supply prescapular and prepectoral lymph glands and brachiocephalicus, omotransversarius and supraspinatus muscles.

3.      3.  Internal thoracic artery-

  • It arises from the axillary artery at the level of 1st rib, goes downward and backward to the thoracic face of sternum and under the transversus thoracic muscle.

Near the 8th costal cartilage, it divides into;

A.    Musculophrenic artery

B.    Anterior abdominal (cranial epigastric) artery

C.    Ventral intercostal artery

A.    Musculophrenic artery

Musculophrenic artery passes backward and upward, detaches ventral primary branches.

Distribution:- diaphragm and transversus abdominis muscle.

B.    Anterior abdominal (cranial epigastric) artery

The anterior abdominal artery courses along the floor of the abdominal cavity by entering in the rectus abdominis muscle. It gives few branches to the ventral abdominal wall and ultimately its finer branches anastomoses with the posterior abdominal artery.

Distribution :- rectus and transversus abdominis muscles. 

C.    Ventral intercostal artery

These arteries go upward and anastomoses with the respective dorsal intercostal arteries.

      Distribution :- intercostal muscles and ribs.


Left axillary artery (extra-thoracic part) 

It arises at the level of first rib and gives off following branches;

  1. External thoracic artery
  2. Suprascapular artery
  3. Subscapular artery
  4. Anterior circumflex humeral artery
  5. Deep brachial artery
  6. Collateral ulnar artery
  7. Transverse cubital artery
  8. Common interosseous artery
  9. Median artery
  10. Radial artery
  11. Ulnar artery
  12. Dorsal metacarpal
  13. Volar common digital 

1.      External thoracic artery-

It arises from the axillary artery close to the first rib, goes downward and supplies to the pectoral, biceps brachii, and brachiocephalicus muscle.

2.      Suprascapular-

It is a small vessel, goes upward and supplies to the supraspinatous muscle and to the medial aspect of shoulder joint.

3.      Subscapular artery-

It is a large vessel originates from the dorsal aspect of the main artery at the angular junction between the axillary and brachial part and supplies to the subscapularis muscle.




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