The armpit artery
Axillary artery · arteria axillaris
The main artery of the armpit, carrying blood into the arm.
What it does
The axillary artery continues from the subclavian artery at the edge of the first rib and runs through the armpit, surrounded by the cords of the brachial plexus. It gives branches to the shoulder and chest wall before becoming the brachial artery.
Surprising fact
The nerves of the brachial plexus wrap around this artery, and in the armpit they are named by where they sit in relation to it.
Why it matters
Because nerves and artery travel together, injuries in the armpit can damage both, affecting both blood supply and movement of the arm.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.