Axillary lymph nodes
Encyclopedia
The Axillary lymph nodes are of large size, vary from twenty to thirty in number, and may be arranged in the following groups:
- brachial lymph nodesBrachial lymph nodesA brachial group of from four to six glands lies in relation to the medial and posterior aspects of the axillary vein; the afferents of these glands drain the whole arm with the exception of that portion whose vessels accompany the cephalic vein.The efferent vessels pass partly to the central and...
(or "lateral")
- pectoral axillary lymph nodesPectoral axillary lymph nodesAn anterior or pectoral group consists of four or five glands along the lower border of the Pectoralis minor, in relation with the lateral thoracic artery....
(or "anterior")
- subscapular axillary lymph nodesSubscapular axillary lymph nodesA posterior or subscapular group of six or seven glands is placed along the lower margin of the posterior wall of the axilla in the course of the subscapular artery....
(or "posterior")
- central lymph nodesCentral lymph nodesA central or intermediate group of three or four large glands is imbedded in the adipose tissue near the base of the axilla.Its afferents are the efferent vessels of all the preceding groups of axillary glands; its efferents pass to the subclavicular group....
- apical lymph nodesApical lymph nodesAn apical group of six to twelve glands is situated partly posterior to the upper portion of the Pectoralis minor and partly above the upper border of this muscle....
(or "medial" or "subclavicular")