Internal thoracic artery

Internal Thoracic Artery

The Internal Thoracic Artery (ITA), also known as the Internal Mammary Artery (IMA), is an artery that supplies the anterior chest wall and the breasts. It is a paired artery, with one running along each side of the sternum, to continue after its bifurcation as the superior epigastric and musculophrenic arteries.

Anatomy

The internal thoracic artery arises from the subclavian artery near its origin. It travels down the inside of the front chest wall, about a centimeter from the sides of the sternum. At the level of the sixth intercostal space, it bifurcates into the superior epigastric artery and the musculophrenic artery.

Clinical Significance

The internal thoracic artery is of considerable clinical importance. It is often used in coronary artery bypass surgery. The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) is commonly used because of its superior long-term patency rates in comparison to saphenous vein grafts.

See Also

• Coronary artery bypass surgery
• Superior epigastric artery
• Musculophrenic artery

External Links

• WikiMD Article on Internal Thoracic Artery

Internal thoracic artery Resources
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