Axillary Artery - Branches

Branches

The axillary artery has several smaller branches. The branches can be remembered, in order, when traveling from the heart, with the mnemonic "Screw The Lawyers Save A Patient", "Summertime: The Lakers Schedule Another Parade", or "She Tastes Like Sweet Apple Pie." The origin of these branches is highly variable (e.g. the posterior and anterior circumflex arteries often have a common trunk). An arterial branch is named for its course, not its origin.

  • First part (1 branch)
    • Superior thoracic artery (Supreme thoracic artery)
  • Second part (2 branches)
    • Thoraco-acromial artery
    • Lateral thoracic artery. If the lateral thoracic artery is not branching from the axillary artery, will most likely branch from the following (in order of likelihood): (1) thoracoacrominal, (2) third part of axillary artery, (3) suprascapular artery, (4) subscapular artery
  • Third part (3 branches)
    • Subscapular artery
    • Anterior humeral circumflex artery
    • Posterior humeral circumflex artery

Continues as the brachial artery past the inferior border of the teres major.

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