Central axillary nodes

At a glance

English

Central axillary nodes

Latin (TA2)

Nodi axillares centrales

System

Lymphatic

Region

Whole body

Side

Paired, left and right

About the central axillary nodes

The central nodes lie deep in the fatty tissue that fills the armpit, close to its floor, which is formed by the axillary fascia and skin. They are fewer than some other groups, usually three or four, but they are among the largest nodes in the axilla. They sit roughly in the middle of the space, below and behind pectoralis minor and away from the main vessels, so that when enlarged they are the axillary nodes most easily felt.

Their place in the chain is that of a collecting point. The anterior or pectoral group, the lateral group along the axillary vein and the posterior or subscapular group all lie around the walls of the axilla, and all three send much of their outflow inward to the central nodes. From there lymph moves upward to the apical nodes at the top of the axilla.

In this way the central group carries lymph that began in the upper limb, the front and side of the chest wall, the breast, and the skin and muscles of the back as far up as the lower neck. Some vessels from the breast reach it directly. Its efferent vessels pass to the apical or subclavicular nodes, which form the subclavian lymph trunk.

The intercostobrachial nerve, a cutaneous branch from the second intercostal nerve, runs across the axilla through or close to this group. Enlarged or cancerous central nodes may press on it and cause pain along the inner arm, and the nerve is often stretched or cut during axillary surgery, leaving numbness there. These nodes are routinely checked when the axilla is examined for breast cancer, arm infection or lymphoma.

Course and drainage

Begins at

Afferent vessels are the efferents of the anterior, lateral and posterior axillary groups, with some direct vessels from the breast.

Drains into

Efferent vessels pass to the apical (subclavicular) axillary nodes.

Drains

Collects lymph from the upper limb, chest wall, breast and upper back. The group most easily felt in the armpit; enlargement may press on the intercostobrachial nerve and cause inner arm pain.