BLOOD SUPPLY, VEINOUS &LYMPHATIC

DRAINAGE OF THE UPPER LIMB

DEPARTMENT OF ANATOMY
IGBINEDION UNIVERSITY
DR. EMMANUEL.O BIENONWU
VESSELS OF THE UPPER LIMBS-ARTERIES
VESSELS OF THE UPPER LIMBS-VEINS
 SCAPULAR ANASTOMOSIS
AN ANASTOMOSIS IS A NETWORK OF ARTERIES THAT SUPPLY A
STRUCTURE OR ORGAN PROVIDING COLLATERAL CIRCULATION
IN CASE OF A BLOCKAGE.
 SCAPULAR ANASTOMOSIS IS FORMED BY BRANCHES OF TWO
MAJOR ARTERIES OF THE UPPER LIMB (SUBCLAVIAN &
AXILLARY)
 ANASTOMOSIS AROUND BODY OF SCAPULAR
1ST PART OF SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY-THYROCERVICAL TRUNK
3RD PART OF AXILLARY ARTERY- SUBSCAPULAR
 ANASTOMOSIS OVER ACROMION PROCESS
1ST PART OF SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY-SUPRASCAPULAR ARTERY
2ND PART OF AXILLARY ARTERY- THORACOACROMIAL
3RD PART OF AXILLARY ARTERY- POSTERIOR CIRCUMFLEX
HUMERAL ARTERY
THYROCERVICAL TRUNK HAS 4 BRANCHES
• ASCENDING CERVICAL
• INFERIOR THYROID
• TRANSVERSE CERVICAL- SUPERFICIAL & DEEP
• SUPRASCAPULAR
THORACOACROMIAL HAS 4 BRANCHES
• A- ACROMIAL BRANCH
• P- PECTORAL BRANCH
• C- CLAVICULAR BRANCH
• D- DELTOID BRANCH
SUPRASCAPULAR & POSTERIOR CIRCUMFLEX
HUMERAL- HAVE ACROMIAL BRANCHES
APPLIED/ CLINICAL ANATOMY
SUBCLAVIAN/ AXILLARY ARTERY BLOCKAGE
THIS CAN BYPASSED BY THE ANASTOMOSIS FORMED
BETWEEN THE BRANCHES OF THE
THYROCERVICAL TRUNK (TRANSVERSE CERVICAL
& SUPRASCAPULAR)- IST PART OF SUBCLAVIAN &
BRANCHES OF THE SUBSCAPULAR (3RD PART OF
AXILLARY & THORACO ACROMIAL (2ND PART OF
AXILLARY)
• THE ANASTOMOSIS SERVES AS A COLLATERAL
CIRCULATION TO ENSURE ADEQUATE
CIRCULATION OF BLOOD TO THE UPPER LIMB
 Pectoral (anterior) – 3-5 nodes, in the medial
wall of the axilla. receive lymph primarily
from the anterior thoracic wall, breast.
 Subscapular (posterior) – 6-7 nodes, located
along the posterior axillary fold & subscapular
blood vessels. receive lymph from the
posterior thoracic wall &scapular region.
 Humeral (lateral) – 4-6 nodes, in the lateral
wall of the axilla, posterior to the axillary
vein. receive most of the lymph drained from
the upper limb.
• Central – 3-4 large nodes, near the base of the
axilla . receive lymph via efferent vessels from
the pectoral, subscapular and humeral axillary
lymph node groups.
• Apical – in the apex of the axilla, close to the
axillary vein and 1st part of the axillary artery.
receive lymph from efferent vessels of the central
axillary lymph nodes, therefore from all axillary
lymph node groups. also receive lymph from
those lymphatic vessels accompanying the
cephalic vein.