Health Dictionary

Overview

The thoracoacromial artery (acromiothoracic artery; thoracic axis) is a short trunk, which arises from the forepart of the axillary artery, its origin being generally overlapped by the upper edge of the Pectoralis minor.

Branches

Projecting forward to the upper border of the Pectoralis minor, it pierces the coracoclavicular fascia and divides into four branches—pectoral, acromial, clavicular, and deltoid.

Branch	Description
Pectoral branch	Descends between the two Pectorales, and is distributed to them and to the mamma, anastomosing with the intercostal branches of the internal mammary and with the lateral thoracic.
Acromial branch	Runs lateralward over the coracoid process and under the Deltoideus, to which it gives branches; it then pierces that muscle and ends on the acromion in an arterial network formed by branches from the transverse scapular, thoracoacromial, and posterior humeral circumflex arteries.
Clavicular branch	Runs upward and medialward to the sternoclavicular joint, supplying this articulation, and the Subclavius.
Deltoid (humeral) branch	Often arising with the acromial, it crosses over the Pectoralis minor and passes in the same groove as the cephalic vein, between the Pectoralis major and Deltoideus, and gives branches to both muscles.

Mnemonic

One mnemonic used to remember the four branches is “Cadavers Are Dead People”.^[1]

Additional images

The axillary artery and its branches.

References

↑ Template:MedicalMnemonics

External links

Template:NormanAnatomy
Template:SUNYAnatomyLabs – “Pectoral Region: Thoracoacromial Artery and its Branches”
Template:SUNYAnatomyFigs – “The axillary artery and its major branches shown in relation to major landmarks.”
Template:EMedicineDictionary

Template:Gray’s

Template:Arteries of upper limbs

Template:WikiDoc Sources

[1] Template:MedicalMnemonics

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