Internal Thoracic Arteries Arising Distal to the Anterior Scalene Muscles at the Origin of the Axillary Arteries: Implications for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Abstract

The internal thoracic (internal mammary) artery is particularly important with regard to coronary artery bypass grafting. Typically, the artery arises from the first part of the subclavian artery before the subclavian artery passes posterior to the anterior scalene muscle. This case report documents internal thoracic arteries arising from the proximal aspect of the axillary arteries, lateral to the anterior scalene muscles and the lateral margins of the first rib where the subclavian arteries change names to the axillary arteries. The variation is clinically significant with regard to coronary artery bypass grafting. Since the internal thoracic arteries arise beyond the anterior scalene muscles, potential entrapment of the subclavian artery, common in thoracic outlet syndrome, may decrease blood flow through the variant arteries. If these variant arteries were utilized in bypass grafting, the patient could experience angina due to entrapment of the subclavian arteries by the anterior scalene muscles.Support or Funding InformationWV Research Challenge Fund [HEPC.dsr.17.06] and [HEPC.dsr.14.13]This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.