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Anatomy - PTA of a left subclavian artery stenosis (balloon angioplasty)

vascular surgery

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Subclavian artery

Subclavian artery — Zum Vergrößern bitte anklicken

Overview

Origin	left from the aortic arch right from the brachiocephalic trunk
Course	in convex arch over the pleural apex between clavicle and 1st rib through the posterior scalene gap ( = between anterior scalene muscle and middle scalene muscle)
Branches	Internal thoracic artery Vertebral artery Thyrocervical trunk Costocervical trunk

Main branches of the subclavian artery and supply area

Main branches (proximal → distal)	important branches (proximal → distal)	Supply area
Internal thoracic artery	Ø	anterior thoracic wall upper abdominal wall Mediastinum Pericardium Diaphragm
Vertebral artery	Ø	Brain Cervical spine deep neck muscles
Thyrocervical trunk	Suprascapular artery	Anastomosis with branches of the axillary artery
	Transverse cervical artery → Dorsal scapular artery	Neck, nape and shoulder muscles
	Ascending cervical artery	Neck muscles
	Inferior thyroid artery	Trachea Larynx (via inferior laryngeal artery) Thyroid gland Esophagus
Costocervical trunk	Deep cervical artery	deep neck muscles
	Supreme intercostal artery	upper intercostal muscles

According to vascular surgical criteria, the course of the subclavian artery is divided into four sections:

Section	Characteristic
A1	Aortic arch to origin of vertebral artery (VA)
A2	VA to thyrocervical trunk (TT)
A3	TT to crossing of 1st rib
A4	Crossing of 1st rib to exit under clavicle, here beginning of axillary artery