Browse the corpus
Walk the Even Hospital Database by book and chapter — the raw source passages that ground Ask, DDx, and the rest.
1 passage
The costocervical trunk is a branch of the subclavian artery which supplies the upper extremities and contributes partly to the blood supply of the head and neck. The subclavian artery has a different origin on each side. On the right side, it originates from the brachiocephalic trunk while stemming directly from the arch of the aorta on the left side.[1][2] It is critical to know the course of the subclavian artery, its branches, and its parts to get a comprehensive understanding of the costocervical trunk. The subclavian artery divides into three segments depending on their position relative to the scalenus anterior muscle. The first part of the subclavian artery extends from its root to the medial part of the scalenus muscle. The first segment of the subclavian artery gives rise to the internal thoracic artery(internal mammary artery)[3], vertebral artery, and thyrocervical trunk that supply the circle of Willis, breast tissue and thyroid tissue. The second part of the subclavian artery starts from the medial part of the scalenus muscle and extends to the lateral aspect of the scalenus muscle; This part gives rise to the costocervical trunk. The third part starts at the lateral aspect of the scalenus muscle and ends at the tip of the first rib, where it becomes the axillary artery.[4][5] Since we now know the exact origin of the costocervical trunk, we can go in-depth about delineating its details and importance.