Right subclavian artery

Right Subclavian Artery

The right subclavian artery and its branches. (Right subclavian artery is labeled at center.)

The Right Subclavian Artery is a major artery of the upper thoracic region, supplying blood to the right arm and the right side of the head and neck. It originates from the brachiocephalic trunk, and courses laterally towards the right shoulder.

Structure

The right subclavian artery begins at the brachiocephalic trunk, just behind the right sternoclavicular joint. It ascends and arches over the top of the right lung, then descends into the axilla as the axillary artery. The artery is divided into three parts by the anterior scalene muscle.

Branches

The right subclavian artery gives off several branches as it courses through the neck and shoulder. These include:

• Vertebral artery
• Internal thoracic artery
• Thyrocervical trunk
• Costocervical trunk

Clinical significance

The right subclavian artery can be involved in several pathological conditions, including subclavian steal syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, and aneurysms.

See also

• Left subclavian artery
• Brachiocephalic artery
• Subclavian vein