Axilla and Brachial Plexus Flashcards
(45 cards)
The arterial supply, venous drainage, lymphatic drainage and nerve supply of the upper limb all pass through the:
axilla
The lymph nodes of the axilla receive drainage from:
- back
- neck
- upper limb
- anterior chest wall (including the breast)
The shoulder girdle consists of:
- scapula and clavicle
- no joint connection to the back; only muscle
Muscles that connect the shoulder girdle to the back:
- levator scapulae
- trapezius
- rhomboids
- latissimus dorsi
What is the only joint connecting the should girdle/upper limb to the axial skeleton?
sternoclavicular joint

Label:

- left: head of humerus
- right: glenoid fossa
Label:

glenohumeral joint
- between head of humerus and glenoid fossa of the scapula.
The four walls of the axilla:
- posterior (back)
- lateral (side)
- anterior (front)
- medial (bottom)

Composition of the Lateral Wall of the axilla:
Humerus (bicipital groove)
- where the anterior and posterior walls converge
Composition of the Anterior Wall of the axilla:
- Pectoralis Major
- Pectoralis Minor
Composition of the Medial Wall of the axilla:
- Serratus Anterior
Composition of the Posterior Wall of the axilla:
- Subcapularis
- Teres major
- Latissimus Dorsi
Axillary Arteries Diagram:

Label:


Three cords of the brachial plexus run through the axilla and surround the axillary artery. What are the three cords?
- lateral
- medial
- posterior
Axillary sheath:
- connective tissue that surrounds the axillary artery and brachial plexus cords.
- axillary vein is not contained in the axillary sheath.
An aneurysm of the axillary artery can cause:
- compression of the brachial plexus cords due to their containment in the axillary sheath.
A nerve plexus is:
- a network of nerve fibers that arise from multiple sources, intermingle, and then give rise to nerves that contain nerve fibers from these multiple sources.
The multiple sources of nerve fibers in the brachial plexus are:
- anterior rami of C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1
The lateral and medial cords of the brachial plexus contain only _______ nerve fibers.
- anterior division
The posterior cord of the brachial plexus contains only _________ nerve fibers.
- posterior division
What terminal nerves of the brachial plexus contain only anterior division fibers?
- musculocutaneous, median, and ulnar nerves
What terminal nerves of the brachial plexus contain only posterior division fibers?
- radial and axillary nerves
What are the collateral nerves of the brachial plexus?
- long thoracic nerve
- dorsal scapular and suprascapular nerves
- three subscapular nerves (from posterior cord)
- lateral and medial pectoral nerves (from lateral and medial cords)





