open access

Vol 83, No 1 (2024): Folia Morphologica
Case report
Submitted: 2022-08-09
Accepted: 2022-10-21
Published online: 2023-01-17
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Rare high branching pattern from the first part of the right axillary artery

Ahmad O. Odeh1, Shivika Ahuja1, Sania V. Karir1, Felicia D. Lee1, Young T. Lee1, Zoe I. Henkes1, Larry F. Yang1, Dane A. Meyer1, Daniel T. Daly213, Yun Tan213
·
Pubmed: 36688406
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Folia Morphol 2024;83(1):215-220.
Affiliations
  1. Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States
  2. Center for Anatomical Science and Education, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States
  3. Department of Surgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States

open access

Vol 83, No 1 (2024): Folia Morphologica
CASE REPORTS
Submitted: 2022-08-09
Accepted: 2022-10-21
Published online: 2023-01-17

Abstract

A 77-year-old female cadaver was observed to have a rare branching pattern of the right axillary artery (AA). The first part of the AA typically gives off only a superior thoracic artery (STA) but was observed to give off three branches in the case: a lateral thoracic artery (LTA), a thoracoacromial trunk, and a large common trunk (CT). The LTA travelled to provide a variant STA to the 1st and 2nd intercostal spaces. The CT provided an accessory LTA and accessory thoracodorsal artery before bifurcating into a subscapular artery (SA) and posterior humeral circumflex artery. As expected, the SA further divided into the circumflex scapular artery and thoracodorsal artery. A pectoral artery and the anterior humeral circumflex artery originated directly from the second and third parts of the AA, respectively. Knowledge of AA branching variations is of great clinical significance to anatomists, radiologists, and surgeons due to the high rate of injury to this artery.

Abstract

A 77-year-old female cadaver was observed to have a rare branching pattern of the right axillary artery (AA). The first part of the AA typically gives off only a superior thoracic artery (STA) but was observed to give off three branches in the case: a lateral thoracic artery (LTA), a thoracoacromial trunk, and a large common trunk (CT). The LTA travelled to provide a variant STA to the 1st and 2nd intercostal spaces. The CT provided an accessory LTA and accessory thoracodorsal artery before bifurcating into a subscapular artery (SA) and posterior humeral circumflex artery. As expected, the SA further divided into the circumflex scapular artery and thoracodorsal artery. A pectoral artery and the anterior humeral circumflex artery originated directly from the second and third parts of the AA, respectively. Knowledge of AA branching variations is of great clinical significance to anatomists, radiologists, and surgeons due to the high rate of injury to this artery.

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Keywords

artery, upper limb vasculature, axillary artery, variation

About this article
Title

Rare high branching pattern from the first part of the right axillary artery

Journal

Folia Morphologica

Issue

Vol 83, No 1 (2024): Folia Morphologica

Article type

Case report

Pages

215-220

Published online

2023-01-17

Page views

413

Article views/downloads

261

DOI

10.5603/FM.a2023.0003

Pubmed

36688406

Bibliographic record

Folia Morphol 2024;83(1):215-220.

Keywords

artery
upper limb vasculature
axillary artery
variation

Authors

Ahmad O. Odeh
Shivika Ahuja
Sania V. Karir
Felicia D. Lee
Young T. Lee
Zoe I. Henkes
Larry F. Yang
Dane A. Meyer
Daniel T. Daly
Yun Tan

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