The superior thoracic artery (highest thoracic artery) is a small vessel normally arising from the first division of the axillary artery, but may arise from the thoracoacromial artery, itself a branch of the second division of the axillary artery.
Running forward and medially along the upper border of the pectoralis minor, the superior thoracic artery passes between it and the pectoralis major to the side of the chest.
It supplies branches to the first and second intercostal spaces as well as to the superior portion of serratus anterior.
It anastomoses with the internal thoracic artery and intercostal arteries.
Famous quotes containing the word superior:
“He said, truly, that the reason why such greatly superior numbers quailed before him was, as one of his prisoners confessed, because they lacked a cause,—a kind of armor which he and his party never lacked. When the time came, few men were found willing to lay down their lives in defense of what they knew to be wrong; they did not like that this should be their last act in this world.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)