Anatomy - Alloplastic carotid-subclavian bypass for left subclavian artery stenosis

Main branches of the subclavian artery

After passing through the posterior scalene gap, the subclavian artery transitions into the axillary artery. This supplies the shoulder girdle and then becomes the brachial artery, whose supply area is the upper arm. In the elbow crease, the brachial artery divides into the radial artery and ulnar artery, which run along the forearm to the hand. The arteries are accompanied by veins of the same name.

Superficial and deep venous systems unite in the Angulus venosus ("venous angle") to form the V. brachiocephalica and empty into the V. cava superior.

1. Superficial Veins

V. jugularis externa

• runs in the lateral neck area covered by the Platysma
• penetrates the Lamina superficialis of the cervical fascia
• empties in the venous angle, possibly even earlier, into the V. jugularis interna, then into the V. cava superior

V. jugularis anterior

• usually runs over the M. sternocleidomastoideus
• Vv. jugulares anteriores of both sides usually unite in the Spatium suprasternale to form the Arcus venosus jugularis
• empties into venous angle or into the V. jugularis externa

2. Deep Veins

V. jugularis interna

• see below

V. subclavia

• Continuation of the V. axillaris
• runs in front of the M. scalenus anterior
• empties in the venous angle together with the V. jugularis interna and forms the V. brachiocephalica → V. cava superior