Upper limb
Thoracodorsal artery
Arteria thoracodorsalis
- Origin
- Terminal continuation of the subscapular artery
- Insertion
- Descends along the anterior border of latissimus dorsi with the thoracodorsal nerve
- Function
- Primary blood supply to the latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, and overlying cutaneous tissues
- Innervation
- Sympathetic perivascular nerves
- Movement & chain
- Moves synchronously with latissimus dorsi during humeral adduction and extension
- Palpation
- Not palpable through lateral back muscles
- Clinical
- Must be protected during axillary dissection; essential pedicle for autologous breast reconstruction
- Segmental innervation
- C6–C8 roots
- In clinical practice
- Vascular pedicle for pedicled or free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps in reconstructive surgery
- Region in the model
- Upper limb