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Variations of the musculofascial axillary arch with the adjacent lymph nodes

  • Anatomic Variations
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Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This unique case gives the extent of knowledge in the axilla area with axillary arch (AA) and a discussion of its clinical importance.

Materials and method

The anatomical anomaly was found during the dissection class for the brachial plexus. It was identified through the precise dissection of the structures bilaterally.

Results

The cadaver had fascial and muscular AA bilaterally. The fascial AA was separated into the superficial and deep arch group. The superficial arch group connected to the clavipectoral fascia and the axillary fascia. The deep arch group attached to the subscapular fascia. The muscular AA had superficial and deep variations. The superficial muscular AA attached between accessory slip of latissimus dorsi muscle (LDa) and pectoralis quartus muscle (PQ). The deep muscular AA attached to the crest of lesser tubercle of the humerus from LDa. The adipose tissue with the level one central lymph node was located lateral to the pectoralis minor muscle expand from pectoral lymph node through between LDa and PQ.

Conclusion

This case showed the fascial and muscular AA together. The muscular AA had both complete and incomplete attachment types. It could give functional and neurological problems in the axilla, such as thoracic outlet syndrome. Additionally, the structures presented with the axillary lymph node. It helps to understand the patient’s condition with the AA in the axilla and could provide.

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Acknowledgements

The author kindly thanks Dr. John Romfh, Mrs. Jo Anne Romfh, for advisement and review of English, and Martin Rice (the Dean of the school of health sciences at Indiana Wesleyan University), for English corrections and supporting the research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health Sciences, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN, USA

    Pil-Woo Kim

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  1. Pil-Woo Kim
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Contributions

The author contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, visualizations, and analysis were performed by P-WK. The first draft of the manuscript was written by P-WK and the author modified on the previous versions of the manuscript. Martin Rice gave the corrections in English and suggested better descriptions. The author read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Pil-Woo Kim.

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Kim, PW. Variations of the musculofascial axillary arch with the adjacent lymph nodes. Surg Radiol Anat 43, 27–32 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02544-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02544-1

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