The circumflex scapular

artery An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are the pu ...

(scapular circumflex artery, dorsalis scapulae artery) is a branch of the subscapular artery and part of the scapular anastomoses. It curves around the axillary border of the scapula, traveling through the anatomical " Triangular space" made up of the Teres minor superiorly, the Teres major inferiorly, and the long head of the Triceps laterally. It enters the

infraspinatous fossa The infraspinous fossa (infraspinatus fossa or infraspinatous fossa) of the scapula The scapula (plural scapulae or scapulas), also known as the shoulder blade, is the bone that connects the humerus (upper arm bone) with the clavicle (coll ...

under cover of the Teres minor, and

anastomoses An anastomosis (, plural anastomoses) is a connection or opening between two things (especially cavities or passages) that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be norm ...

with the

transverse scapular artery The suprascapular artery is a branch of the thyrocervical trunk on the neck. Structure At first, it passes downward and laterally across the scalenus anterior and phrenic nerve, being covered by the sternocleidomastoid muscle; it then crosses t ...

(suprascapular) and the descending branch of the

transverse cervical The transverse cervical artery (transverse artery of neck or transversa colli artery) is an artery in the neck and a branch of the thyrocervical trunk, running at a higher level than the suprascapular artery. Structure It passes transversely ...

(a.k.a. dorsal scapular artery).

Branches

In its course it gives off two branches: * one (infrascapular) enters the

subscapular fossa The scapula (plural scapulae or scapulas), also known as the shoulder blade, is the bone that connects the humerus (upper arm bone) with the clavicle (collar bone). Like their connected bones, the scapulae are paired, with each scapula on eit ...

beneath the Subscapularis, which it supplies, anastomosing with the

and the descending branch of the

. * the other is continued along the axillary border of the scapula, between the Teres major and minor, and at the dorsal surface of the inferior angle anastomosis with the descending branch of the transverse cervical (dorsal scapular). In addition to these, small branches are distributed to the back part of the

Deltoid Deltoid (delta-shaped) can refer to: * The deltoid muscle, a muscle in the shoulder * Kite (geometry), also known as a deltoid, a type of quadrilateral * A deltoid curve, a three-cusped hypocycloid * A leaf shape * The deltoid tuberosity, a part o ...

and the long head of the Triceps brachii, anastomosing with an ascending branch of the

deep artery of arm The deep artery of arm (also known as arteria profunda brachii and the deep brachial artery) is a large vessel which arises from the lateral and posterior part of the brachial artery, just below the lower border of the teres major. Structure It ...

References

External links

* - "Triangular Space of Scapular Region" * - "Major Branches of the Axillary Artery" * - "The axillary artery and its major branches shown in relation to major landmarks." * {{Authority control Arteries of the upper limb