Blood vessels of the female breast (Latin)

The image shows the left pectoral region of a female, with the skin removed to reveal the breast tissue. The mm. pectoralis major and minor are also reflected to better expose the blood vessels beneath them. It is possible to see the a. thoracica interna branching from the a. subclavia and running along the lateral border of the sternum. The rami perforantes arteriae thoracicae internae give off rr. mammarii mediales arteriae thoracicae internae that supply the medial aspect of the breast. The a. axillaris is a continuation of the a. subclavia originating at the lateral border of the first rib. It gives off the a. thoracica lateralis that supplies the superolateral aspect of the breast. Most of the venous drainage is carried out by tributaries of the v. axillaris (v. thoracica lateralis, v. cephalica and v. basilica). Some blood of the medial aspect of the breast is drained by the v. thoracica interna that follows the course of its corresponding artery to drain into the v. subclavia.