Axilla

Question 1

What is the axilla?

Answer 1

The axilla is a pyramidal space below the shoulder joint. It provides a passageway for vessels and nerves going to and from the upper limb.

Apex

Base

4 walls

Question 2

What is the anterior wall of the axilla formed by?

Answer 2

Pectoralis major

Pectoralis minor

Question 3

What is the posterior wall of the axilla formed by?

Answer 3

Subscapularis

Teres major

Latissmus dorsi

Question 4

What is the medial wall of the axilla formed by?

Answer 4

Thoracic wall and serratus anterior muscle

Question 5

What is the lateral wall of the axilla formed by?

Answer 5

Intertubercular sulcus of the humerus

Question 6

Answer 6

Question 7

What is the axillary artery a continuation of?

Answer 7

Subclavian artery

Question 8

At what anatomical point does the axillary artery begin?

Answer 8

Beyond the outer border of the first rib

Question 9

The axillary artery continues beyond the axilla as which vessel?

Answer 9

Brachial artery

Question 10

At what anatomical point does the name of the axillary artery change to brachial?

Answer 10

Lower border of the teres major

Question 11

What is common in infection of the upper limb?

Answer 11

Enlargement of axillary lymph nodes

Question 12

What is the imporance of the axillary artery in profuse bleeding?

Answer 12

The axillary artery is a point where vasculature can be compressed (via a tourniquet) in response to profuse bleeding to the upper limb – for example after tissue trauma

Question 13

What is the major nerve network innervating the upper limb?

Answer 13

Brachial plexus

Question 14

What is the brachial plexis formed by?

Answer 14

Ventral rami of C5-T1

Question 15

What nerve roots form the upper trunk of the brachial plexus?

Answer 15

C5 and C6

Question 16

What nerve roots form the lower trunk of the brachial plexus?

Answer 16

C8-T1

Question 17

What nerve roots form the middle trunk of the brachial plexus?

Answer 17

C7

Question 18

Which artery and vein are the brachial trunks closely related to?

Answer 18

Axillary vein and axillary artery

Question 19

Answer 19

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Question 20

What does injury to the upper trunk of the brachial plexs cause?

Answer 20

Erb’s Palsy, this results in a characteristic ‘waiter’s tip’ appearance of the upper limb - medial rotation of the arm with wrist flexion.

Question 21

What is Erb’s palsy caused by?

Answer 21

This is caused by a hyper-extension injury of the head from the shoulder.

Question 22

What group of muscles are affected in Erb’s palsy?

Answer 22

Muscles supplied by nerve roots C5-C6

Deltoid, biceps, brachialis, infraspinatus, supraspinatus and serratus anterior muscle

Question 23

What does injury to the lower trunk cause?

Answer 23

Klumpke’s palsy

Question 24

What does Klumpke’s palsy affect?

Answer 24

Mainly affects the intrinsic muscles of the hand (claw hand), flexors muscles of the wirst and flexor muscles of the fingers

Question 25

Major branches of the brachial plexus?

Answer 25

Axillary nerve from the posterior cord

Radial nerve from the posterior cord

Musculocutaneous nerve from the lateral cord

Ulnar nerve from the medial cord

Median nerve from both the lateral and medial cord

Question 26

Answer 26

Question 27

Answer 27

Other wat round

Question 28

Answer 28

Question 29

Answer 29

Question 30

What is the dorsal venous arch?

Answer 30

Complex network of veins lying at the distal aspect of the upper limb.

Question 31

Where does the cephalic vein arise from?

Answer 31

Arises at the lateral end of the dorsal venous arch and Basilic vein arises at the medial end of the dorsal venous arch

Question 32

What is the median cubital vein?

Answer 32

Large communicating vein which shunts blood from the cephalic vein to the basilic vein

Question 33

Where does the cephalic vein ascend the arm?

Answer 33

Ascends the arm on its lateral aspect, piercing the clavipectoral fascia draining into the axillary vein

Question 34

Where does the basilic vein ascend the arm?

Answer 34

Ascends on the medial side of the arm, passing deep at the mid-humeral level and eventually becoming the axillary vein at the lower border of teres minor.