Lateral axillary nodes

At a glance

English

Lateral axillary nodes

Latin (TA2)

Nodi axillares latérales nodi humerales

System

Lymphatic

Region

Whole body

Side

Paired, left and right

About the lateral axillary nodes

The lateral axillary nodes, also known as the humeral or brachial nodes, are found on the lateral wall of the axilla, the side next to the humerus. They are closely applied to the axillary vein, on its medial and posterior sides, and lie in the fat along the neurovascular bundle of the upper limb. The group usually contains four to six nodes.

Of the axillary groups they are the one most tied to the arm itself. The pectoral group serves the chest wall and the subscapular group the back, while the lateral group stands at the end of the main lymph route coming up from the limb.

Lymph reaches them from almost the entire upper limb, through both the superficial vessels that follow the basilic vein and the deep vessels that follow the arteries, including those passing through the supratrochlear and cubital nodes. The exception is the strip of territory on the outer side whose lymph travels with the cephalic vein; that lymph goes to the infraclavicular and apical nodes instead. The efferent vessels of the lateral group pass to the central and apical axillary nodes, and some go straight to the inferior deep cervical nodes above the clavicle.

These nodes enlarge with infections of the hand and arm and may be tender in cellulitis or lymphangitis. They may also be involved in breast cancer that has spread through the axilla, and in melanoma or other skin cancers of the limb. Because they hug the axillary vein, clearing them takes care, and their removal contributes to lymphoedema of the arm after axillary surgery.

Course and drainage

Begins at

Afferent vessels from nearly all of the upper limb, superficial and deep, except the part drained along the cephalic vein.

Drains into

Efferent vessels pass to the central and apical axillary nodes, and some to the inferior deep cervical nodes.

Drains

The main filter for lymph from the upper limb. Swells with hand and arm infection; its removal in axillary surgery adds to the risk of arm lymphoedema.