Anatomy of the axilla
00:00 / 00:00
Videos
Notes
Anatomy of the axilla
Anatomy
Introduction
Introduction to the skeletal system
Introduction to the muscular system
Neck
Bones of the neck
Anatomy clinical correlates: Bones, fascia and muscles of the neck
Back
Bones of the vertebral column
Joints of the vertebral column
Vessels and nerves of the vertebral column
Muscles of the back
Anatomy of the suboccipital region
Anatomy clinical correlates: Bones, joints and muscles of the back
Abdomen
Anatomy of the muscles and nerves of the posterior abdominal wall
Upper limb
Bones of the upper limb
Fascia, vessels and nerves of the upper limb
Anatomy of the brachial plexus
Anatomy of the pectoral and scapular regions
Anatomy of the arm
Muscles of the forearm
Vessels and nerves of the forearm
Muscles of the hand
Anatomy of the sternoclavicular and acromioclavicular joints
Anatomy of the glenohumeral joint
Anatomy of the elbow joint
Anatomy of the radioulnar joints
Joints of the wrist and hand
Anatomy of the axilla
Anatomy clinical correlates: Clavicle and shoulder
Anatomy clinical correlates: Axilla
Anatomy clinical correlates: Arm, elbow and forearm
Anatomy clinical correlates: Wrist and hand
Anatomy clinical correlates: Median, ulnar and radial nerves
Lower limb
Bones of the lower limb
Fascia, vessels, and nerves of the lower limb
Anatomy of the anterior and medial thigh
Muscles of the gluteal region and posterior thigh
Vessels and nerves of the gluteal region and posterior thigh
Anatomy of the popliteal fossa
Anatomy of the leg
Anatomy of the foot
Anatomy of the hip joint
Anatomy of the knee joint
Anatomy of the tibiofibular joints
Joints of the ankle and foot
Anatomy clinical correlates: Hip, gluteal region and thigh
Anatomy clinical correlates: Knee
Anatomy clinical correlates: Leg and ankle
Anatomy clinical correlates: Foot
Assessments
Anatomy of the axilla
Recall questions
0 / 3 complete
Transcript
I know what you’re thinking: Isn’t the axilla just a fancy name for the armpit?! Well, besides the axilla being notoriously ticklish, it’s also where many important neurovascular structures enter and exit to reach their target locations.
Think of it like a train station, with many trains passing through enroute to delivering electrochemical signals, blood, and lymphatics to their appropriate destinations.
Now, let’s start with the boundaries of the axilla. The axilla is located at the junction of the arm and thorax, and connects superiorly to the neck, anteriorly to the pectoral region, inferolaterally to the upper limb, and inferomedially to the thoracic wall.
The axilla is shaped like a pyramid that has an apex, a base, and four walls. The apex of the axilla is also called the cervico-axillary canal, which is the door between the neck and the axilla.
The cervico-axillary canal is bounded by the first rib, clavicle, and superior edge of the scapula. The base of the axilla is formed by skin, subcutaneous tissue, and axillary fascia, and forms what is called the axillary fossa, or what we know as the armpit.
Moving on to the four walls of the axilla, the anterior wall is made up by two muscles: the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor.
The inferior-most aspect of the anterior wall is called the anterior axillary fold, and it’s formed by the pectoralis major.
The posterior wall of the axillary is formed mainly by the scapula and overlying subscapularis muscle.
The inferior aspect of the posterior wall is formed by the teres major and latissimus dorsi muscles, inferiorly forming the posterior axillary fold. The medial wall is formed by serratus anterior muscle that overlies the 1st-4th ribs and intercostal muscles. Finally, the lateral wall is a bony wall formed by the intertubercular sulcus of the humerus.
Sources
- "Human Anatomy & Physiology" Pearson (2017)
- "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology" Wiley (2019)
- "Moore's Clinically Oriented Anatomy" LWW (2022)
- "Grant's Dissector" LWW (2020)
- "Netter Atlas of anatomy 17th ed" Elsevier (2022)
- "Neurovascular Compression Syndromes of the Shoulder" The Athlete's Shoulder (2009)
- "Axillary management for young women with breast cancer varies between patients electing breast-conservation therapy or mastectomy" Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (2020)
- "The axillary vein and its tributaries are not in the mirror image of the axillary artery and its branches" PLOS ONE (2019)
Copyright © 2023 Elsevier, except certain content provided by third parties
Cookies are used by this site.
USMLE® is a joint program of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). COMLEX-USA® is a registered trademark of The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, Inc. NCLEX-RN® is a registered trademark of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. Test names and other trademarks are the property of the respective trademark holders. None of the trademark holders are endorsed by nor affiliated with Osmosis or this website.
