Anatomy chapter
ANATOMY

Axilla

79 practice questions · 36 study notes
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Questions

QUESTION 1
Which part of the axilla is known as the cervico-axillary canal?
QUESTION 2
At which muscular landmark does the axillary artery continue as the brachial artery?
QUESTION 3
Which muscle crosses the axillary artery and divides it into three parts?
QUESTION 4
Latissimus dorsi twists around which muscle in forming the smooth wall of the axilla?
QUESTION 5
Which pair of nerves lies between the third part of the axillary artery and the axillary vein?
QUESTION 6
From which spinal segments are the sympathetic nerves for the upper limb derived?
QUESTION 7
Which nerve accompanies the artery that passes backwards through the quadrangular space and anastomoses with the anterior circumflex humeral artery around the surgical neck of the humerus?
QUESTION 8
Which spinal nerve root forms the middle trunk of the brachial plexus?
QUESTION 9
Which divisions unite to form the lateral cord of the brachial plexus?
QUESTION 10
Which nerve structure lies lateral to the lower portion of the third part of the axillary artery?
QUESTION 11
Which branch of the upper trunk may give a root to the phrenic nerve?
QUESTION 12
During axillary dissection, vessels are identified running along the lower border of pectoralis minor. Which vessels are these?
QUESTION 13
Which nerve supplies teres major in addition to contributing to the supply of subscapularis?
QUESTION 14
Which nerve supplies the rhomboid muscles responsible for retraction of the shoulder girdle?
QUESTION 15
Which axillary lymph node group lies in the fat of the axilla?
QUESTION 16
Along which wall of the axilla do the axillary artery and brachial plexus run from the apex to the base?
QUESTION 17
A birth injury produces undue separation of the head from the shoulder and causes Erb's paralysis. Which part of the brachial plexus is injured?
QUESTION 18
Which nerve provides the sole motor supply to the thoracoabdominal diaphragm and carries afferent fibres from the fibrous pericardium?
QUESTION 19
Which pair of thyrocervical trunk branches contributes to the blood supply of the brachial plexus?
QUESTION 20
Which branch of the medial cord carries sensory impulses from a small area on the medial side of the arm?
QUESTION 21
What is the characteristic forearm position in Erb's paralysis?
QUESTION 22
Which branch of the upper trunk supplies both supraspinatus and infraspinatus?
QUESTION 23
Through which structure do C7 fibres reach the ulnar nerve?
QUESTION 24
Which nerve exclusively supplies serratus anterior, a key muscle for overhead abduction?
QUESTION 25
Which structures form the base of the axilla?
QUESTION 26
Which structures form the medial wall of the axilla as described in the dissection passage?
QUESTION 27
What elbow and forearm posture is described in Erb's paralysis?
QUESTION 28
Of the two muscles arising from the tip of the coracoid process, which lies lateral to coracobrachialis?
QUESTION 29
Which muscle forms the upper part of the posterior wall of the axilla?
QUESTION 30
Through which passage do the axillary artery, axillary vein and brachial plexus enter the axilla?
QUESTION 31
From which part of the brachial plexus does the suprascapular nerve arise?
QUESTION 32
Which part of serratus anterior contributes to the medial wall of the axilla?
QUESTION 33
Which border of the first rib forms the medial boundary of the cervicoaxillary canal?
QUESTION 34
A patient cannot abduct the shoulder, flex the elbow or supinate the forearm. What is the named site of nerve injury associated with this presentation?
QUESTION 35
Which structure forms the anterior boundary of the cervicoaxillary canal?
QUESTION 36
Which structures form the anterior boundary of the axillary region?
QUESTION 37
Which digitations of serratus anterior are listed as posterior relations of the axillary artery?
QUESTION 38
Which muscle accompanies the first intercostal space in the listed posterior relations of the axillary artery?
QUESTION 39
From which fascial layer is the axillary sheath derived?
QUESTION 40
Which pair of muscles contributes to the lateral wall of the axilla?
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Study notes

Axilla: shape, orientation and dissection landmarks
The axilla is a pyramidal space between the upper part of the arm and the chest wall. →
Cervicoaxillary canal: boundaries and transmitted structures
The apex of the axilla forms an oblique passage called the cervicoaxillary canal. →
Base or floor of the axilla
The base forms the inferior aspect of the axillary space. →
Posterior and medial walls of the axilla
The passage describes the muscular posterior wall and the rib and muscle components of the medial wall. →
Narrow lateral wall of the axilla
The target passage describes the shape of the lateral wall of the axilla. →
Lateral wall and contents of the axilla
This passage continues the description of the lateral wall and then lists several contents of the axilla. →
Arrangement of axillary contents and lymph nodes
The axilla contains vessels, nerves and five groups of lymph nodes embedded in fat and areolar tissue. →
Extent and three parts of the axillary artery
Pectoralis minor provides the landmark for dividing the axillary artery into three parts. →
Anterior relations of the first part of the axillary artery
The target passage lists the structures anterior to the first part of the axillary artery. →
Posterior relations of the axillary artery
The passage lists muscular and neural structures posterior to the axillary artery. →
First part of the axillary artery: medial relation and sheath
The passage identifies the medial vessel relation and the fascial enclosure of the first part of the axillary artery. →
Lateral and medial relations of the third part of the axillary artery
The third part of the axillary artery has different median nerve relations in its upper and lower portions. →
Axillary artery branches and the superior thoracic artery
The axillary artery gives six branches, distributed across its three parts. →
Origin of the thoracoacromial artery
The thoracoacromial artery is also called the acromiothoracic artery. →
Thoracoacromial terminal branches and the lateral thoracic artery
The thoracoacromial artery emerges at the upper border of pectoralis minor, pierces the clavipectoral fascia, and divides into four terminal branches. →
Subscapular and circumflex scapular arteries
The subscapular artery is the largest branch of the axillary artery and gives off the circumflex scapular artery. →
Anterior circumflex humeral artery
This small axillary artery branch contributes to an arterial circle around the surgical neck of the humerus. →
Posterior circumflex humeral artery: size and origin
The posterior circumflex humeral artery is a branch of the third part of the axillary artery. →
Arterial course through the quadrangular space
The readable prose describes an artery accompanying the axillary nerve; its name is not explicitly linked to that prose in the supplied fragment. →
Axillary collateral circulation, venous drainage and lymph nodes
The axilla contains arterial anastomoses, venous channels and lymph node groups with distinct drainage territories. →
Central and apical axillary nodes and clinical examination of the axilla
This passage completes the description of central axillary nodes and describes apical nodes, lymphatic involvement and clinical landmarks. →
Spinal nerve roots and rami, with axillary clinical landmarks
Spinal nerves unite sensory and motor roots before dividing into mixed rami. The passage also describes lymphatic drainage across the umbilical level and arterial compression in the axilla. →
Brachial plexus formation and relations to the axillary artery
The brachial plexus has successive structural components and specific relations to the parts of the axillary artery. →
Brachial plexus roots and segmental variations
The segmental origin of the brachial plexus may shift upward or downward, producing named variants. →
Brachial plexus formation and sympathetic supply of the upper limb
The passage describes plexus divisions and cords, followed by the origin, pathway and functions of sympathetic fibres supplying the upper limb. →
Vasomotor, sudomotor and pilomotor functions
These functions act on skin arterioles, sweat secretion and the muscles responsible for hair erection. →
Branches associated with the roots of the brachial plexus
Root branches supply serratus anterior, the rhomboids, longus colli and scalene muscles; the passage also describes the phrenic nerve. →
Branches of the upper trunk of the brachial plexus
Branches from the trunks arise only from the upper trunk, which gives two named nerves. →
Branches of the cords of the brachial plexus
The lateral, medial and posterior cords give branches supplying muscles and skin of the upper limb. →
Lateral and medial cords: the M-shaped arrangement
The lateral and medial cords of the brachial plexus and their branches form an M-shaped arrangement with three extended corners. →
Brachial plexus blood supply and Erb's paralysis
The passage describes arterial supply to the brachial plexus and the mechanism, muscle involvement and limb posture of upper trunk injury. →
Klumpke's paralysis: lower trunk injury and its effects
Klumpke's paralysis follows injury to the lower trunk of the brachial plexus, involving mainly T1 and partly C8. →
Injury to the nerve supplying serratus anterior
Injury to the nerve to serratus anterior, also called the nerve of Bell in the passage, causes scapular winging and impaired shoulder function. →
Branches of the three parts of the axillary artery
The axillary artery gives one, two and three branches from its first, second and third parts, respectively. →
Brachial plexus organization and axillary anatomy
The passage outlines the organization of the brachial plexus and several anatomical features of the axilla. →
Erb's paralysis and selected axillary anatomy
The clinical problem links loss of shoulder abduction, elbow flexion and forearm supination to injury at Erb's point. →
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