Vol 64, No 1 (2005)
Case report
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2004-12-10
Bilateral alar thoracic artery
M.C. Rusu
Folia Morphol 2005;64(1):59-64.
Vol 64, No 1 (2005)
CASE REPORTS
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2004-12-10
Abstract
During a routine dissection a superficial artery was observed coursing subcutaneously
at the anterior border of the axillary base towards the thoracic wall and
bilaterally at the lower border of the pectoralis major muscle. On the right side it
originated from the 3rd part of the axillary artery but on the opposite side the
origin was from the first centimetre of a left radial artery originating directly
from the axillary artery together with the left brachial artery. Apart from the
bilateral absence of the deep brachial artery, no other anomalies were identified
at this level. This variant corresponds to the alar thoracic artery, an unusual and
rarely reported artery. The literature on the subject contains no reference either
to the bilateral evidence for the alar thoracic artery or to the possibility of an
origin from a high radial artery. The presence of such an alar thoracic artery may
interfere with surgical access within the axillary fossa and should be taken into
consideration.
Abstract
During a routine dissection a superficial artery was observed coursing subcutaneously
at the anterior border of the axillary base towards the thoracic wall and
bilaterally at the lower border of the pectoralis major muscle. On the right side it
originated from the 3rd part of the axillary artery but on the opposite side the
origin was from the first centimetre of a left radial artery originating directly
from the axillary artery together with the left brachial artery. Apart from the
bilateral absence of the deep brachial artery, no other anomalies were identified
at this level. This variant corresponds to the alar thoracic artery, an unusual and
rarely reported artery. The literature on the subject contains no reference either
to the bilateral evidence for the alar thoracic artery or to the possibility of an
origin from a high radial artery. The presence of such an alar thoracic artery may
interfere with surgical access within the axillary fossa and should be taken into
consideration.
Keywords
bilateral alar thoracic artery; axillary artery; radial artery
Title
Bilateral alar thoracic artery
Journal
Folia Morphologica
Issue
Vol 64, No 1 (2005)
Article type
Case report
Pages
59-64
Published online
2004-12-10
Page views
522
Article views/downloads
1167
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2005;64(1):59-64.
Keywords
bilateral alar thoracic artery
axillary artery
radial artery
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