Upper limb
Axillary artery
Arteria axillaris
- Origin
- Continuation of the subclavian artery at the lateral border of the first rib
- Insertion
- Continues as the brachial artery at the inferior border of the teres major muscle
- Function
- Primary arterial conduit supplying oxygenated blood to the shoulder girdle, thoracic wall, and entire upper limb
- Innervation
- Sympathetic postganglionic fibers via the brachial plexus / periarterial plexus (vasomotor)
- Movement & chain
- Elongates during hyperabduction and external rotation; susceptible to traction during glenohumeral dislocations
- Palpation
- Palpable deep in the apex of the axillary fossa against the proximal humerus with the arm slightly abducted
- Clinical
- Risk of injury in anterior shoulder dislocation and proximal humerus fractures; involved in thoracic outlet syndrome
- Segmental innervation
- C5–T1 roots (sympathetic vasomotor outflow from T1–T4 thoracic chain)
- In clinical practice
- Key surgical landmark in axillary lymph node dissection and axillary nerve blocks; proximal compression point for severe limb hemorrhage
- Region in the model
- Upper limb