Subscapular vein
Vena subscapularis
A short, wide vein on the posterior wall of the axilla, formed by the circumflex scapular and thoracodorsal veins and draining into the axillary vein.
At a glance
- English
- Subscapular vein
- Latin (TA2)
- Vena subscapularis
- System
- Vein
- Region
- Trunk
- Side
- Paired, left and right
About the subscapular vein
The subscapular vein is the companion vein of the subscapular artery, the largest branch of the axillary artery. It lies on the posterior wall of the armpit, along the lower border of the subscapularis muscle, and is usually a single, fairly large vessel rather than a pair of small ones.
It is formed by the union of two tributaries that match the two branches of the artery. The circumflex scapular vein comes forward from the back of the scapula through the triangular gap between teres minor, teres major and the long head of triceps. The thoracodorsal vein comes up from latissimus dorsi along the lateral wall of the chest, with the thoracodorsal nerve and artery. The short trunk they form runs upwards and forwards and opens into the axillary vein, a little below the level of the subscapularis tendon.
Through these tributaries the subscapular vein drains a large block of shoulder girdle muscle: subscapularis, latissimus dorsi, teres major and minor, infraspinatus and part of serratus anterior, together with the skin over the back of the scapula. Its tributaries around the scapula connect with the suprascapular and dorsal scapular veins, mirroring the arterial anastomosis around the scapula and offering collateral routes.
In axillary surgery, and especially when lymph nodes are cleared for breast cancer, the subscapular vessels and their thoracodorsal branch mark the posterior limit of the dissection. The vein and its tributaries are also the drainage route of several flaps used in reconstruction, including the latissimus dorsi, scapular and parascapular flaps, all of which can be taken on one subscapular pedicle.
Course and drainage
- Begins at
- Formed on the posterior wall of the axilla by the union of the circumflex scapular and thoracodorsal veins.
- Drains into
- Ends in the axillary vein.
- Drains
- Drains subscapularis, latissimus dorsi, teres major and minor, infraspinatus, part of serratus anterior and the skin over the scapula.
Anthromica
See the subscapular vein where it really sits, with every layer of the body around it.
- Every layer, one body. Peel from muscle to bone, nerve, vessel and organ, and turn it any way.
- English and Latin. Every structure named the way your exam names it.
- Quiz until it sticks. Short drills on the structures you keep missing.
Free to start. No card.
