4 Axilla

AXILLA
Boundaries
Contents
Axillary Vessels
By: Dr. Mujahid Khan

AXILLA
Definition
• It is a pyramid shaped space between the
upper part of the arm and the side of the
chest
• Important Nerves, Blood and Lymph

vessels travel through it from root of the
neck to the upper limb
Apex
• Upper end of axilla or APEX is directed
into the root of neck
• Bounded in front by the clavicle
• Behind by upper border of scapula
• Medially by outer border of the 1st rib

Base
• Lower end or Base is bounded in front by
the anterior axillary fold formed by
pectoralis major muscle
• Behind by posterior axillary fold formed by

the tendons of latissimus dorsi and teres
major muscles
• Medially by the chest wall

Walls of The Axilla
• Anterior wall:
By the pectoralis major, Subclavius and
pectoralis minor muscles
• Posterior wall:
By the subscapularis, Latissimus dorsi and
teres major muscles
Walls of The Axilla
• Medial wall:
By the upper 4 or 5 ribs and intercostal
spaces covered by serratus anterior
muscle
• Lateral wall:
By the coracobrachialis and biceps
muscles in the bicipital groove of humerus
Base
The Base of axilla is formed by the skin

stretching between the anterior and
posterior walls
Clavipectoral Fascia
• It is a strong sheet of connective tissue
• Split above to enclose the subclavius
muscle and is attached to the clavicle
• Below it splits to enclose the pectoralis
minor muscle
• Then continues downward as the
suspensory ligament of the axilla
• Then joins the fascial floor of armpit
Contents of Axilla
• Axillary artery and its branches
• Axillary vein and its tributaries
• Lymph vessels and lymph nodes
• Important nerve plexus the “Brachial

Plexus” which innervates the upper limb
Axillary Artery
• Is a continuation of subclavian artery
• Begins at the lateral border of the 1st rib
• Ends at the lower border of teres major
• It continues as the brachial artery
• Closely related to brachial plexus cords
• Enclosed with them in the axillary sheath
• Axillary sheath is continuous with the
prevertebral fascia
• Pectoralis minor divides it into 3 parts
1 Part of Axillary Artery
st
• Extends from the lateral border of the 1st

rib to the upper border of pectoralis minor
Relation
• Anterior: Pectoralis major, covering fascia,
skin, cephalic vein
• Posterior: Long thoracic nerve
• Lateral: Three cords of brachial plexus
• Medial: Axillary vein

2nd Part of Axillary Artery
• Lies behind the pectoralis minor muscle
Relation
• Anterior: Pectoralis minor and major,
covering fascia and skin
• Posterior: Posterior cord of brachial plexus
• Lateral: Lateral cord of brachial plexus
• Medial: medial cord of brachial plexus and

axillary vein
3rd Part of Axillary Artery
• Extends from lower border of pectoralis
minor to the lower border of teres major
Relation
• Anterior: Pectoralis major, medial root of
the median nerve
• Posterior: subscapularis, latissimus dorsi

and teres major
• Lateral: Coracobrachialis, biceps, humerus
• Medial: Ulnar nerve, axillary vein, medial

cutaneous nerve of the arm
Branches
• Branches of axillary artery supply the
thoracic wall and the shoulder region
• 1st Part: Highest thoracic artery
• 2nd Part: Thoracoacromial and lateral

thoracic arteries
• 3rd Part: Subscapular artery, anterior and

posterior circumflex humeral arteries
Pectoralis Major
• Origin: Medial half of clavicle, sternum,
upper 6 costal cartilages
• Insertion: Lateral lip of bicipital groove of
the humerus
• NS: Medial and Lateral pectoral Nerve
from medial and lateral pectoral cords of
brachial plexus
• Action: Adducts the arm and rotates it
medially, some fibers also cause flexion of
arm
Subclavius
• Origin: From the first costal cartilage
• Insertion: Fibers move upward and

laterally into the inferior surface of clavicle
• NS: Nerve to the subclavius from upper

trunk of brachial plexus
• Action: Depresses the clavicle and

steadies the bone
Pectoralis Minor
• Origin: From 3rd, 4th and 5th ribs
• Insertion: Coracoid Process
• NS: Medial pectoral nerve, a branch of the

medial cord of brachial plexus
• Action: Pulls the shoulder downward and

forward. Elevates the ribs of origin
Subscapularis
• Origin: Subscapular fossa on the anterior
surface of scapula
• Insertion: On the lesser tuberosity of the

humerus
• NS: Upper and Lower subscapular nerves
• Action: Medially rotates the arm and

stabilizes the shoulder joint
Latissimus Dorsi
• Origin: Posterior part of the iliac crest, lumbar
fascia and spines of lower 6 thoracic vertebrae,
lower 3 ribs
• Insertion: Floor of the bicipital groove of

humerus with teres major
• NS: Thoracodorsal nerve from posterior cord of

brachial plexus
• Action: Extends, adducts and medially rotates

the arm
Teres Major
• Origin: lower third of the lateral border of
scapula
• Insertion: Medial lip of bicipital groove of

humerus
• NS: Lower subscapular nerve from

posterior cord of brachial plexus
• Action: Adducts and medially rotates the

arm
Serratus Anterior
• Origin: From Outer surface of upper 8 ribs
• Insertion: Medial border of scapula in the

region of inferior angle
• NS: Long thoracic nerve
• Action: Draws the scapula forward, rotates

it

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AXILLA

By: Dr. Mujahid Khan

• Important Nerves, Blood and Lymph

• Bounded in front by the clavicle

• Behind by upper border of scapula

• Medially by outer border of the 1st rib

• Behind by posterior axillary fold formed by

• Medially by the chest wall

The Base of axilla is formed by the skin

• Axillary vein and its tributaries

• Lymph vessels and lymph nodes

• Important nerve plexus the “Brachial

• Extends from the lateral border of the 1st

• Posterior: Long thoracic nerve

• Lateral: Three cords of brachial plexus

• Medial: Axillary vein

• Posterior: Posterior cord of brachial plexus

• Lateral: Lateral cord of brachial plexus

• Medial: medial cord of brachial plexus and

• Posterior: subscapularis, latissimus dorsi

• Lateral: Coracobrachialis, biceps, humerus

• Medial: Ulnar nerve, axillary vein, medial

• 1st Part: Highest thoracic artery

• 2nd Part: Thoracoacromial and lateral

• 3rd Part: Subscapular artery, anterior and

• Insertion: Fibers move upward and

• NS: Nerve to the subclavius from upper

• Action: Depresses the clavicle and

• Insertion: Coracoid Process

• NS: Medial pectoral nerve, a branch of the

• Action: Pulls the shoulder downward and

• Insertion: On the lesser tuberosity of the

• NS: Upper and Lower subscapular nerves

• Action: Medially rotates the arm and

• Insertion: Floor of the bicipital groove of

• NS: Thoracodorsal nerve from posterior cord of

• Action: Extends, adducts and medially rotates

• Insertion: Medial lip of bicipital groove of

• NS: Lower subscapular nerve from

• Action: Adducts and medially rotates the

• Insertion: Medial border of scapula in the

• NS: Long thoracic nerve

• Action: Draws the scapula forward, rotates

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