“A Cadaveric Study of Axillary Arch in Eastern India”.

Abstract

Axillary arch or Langer’s muscle connects the pectoralis major muscle with latissimus dorsi thereby crossing the axillary vessels. The axillary arch can lead to a host of clinical conditions like axillary vein entrapment; neurovascular and lymphatic compression; interference with surgical access to axilla during axillary lymph node dissection in surgery of cancer breast and latissimus dorsi transplants. In the current study, 30 formalin preserved adult upper limbs (15 right and 15 left) belonging to males were dissected and the presence of axillary arch was noted. We observed 2 unilateral axillary arches (1 in right upper limbs and 1 in left upper limb) and the frequency was noted to be 6.66% in the study. The findings of the study will be of immense utility for surgeons in differential diagnosis of axillary swellings and surgical procedures of the shoulder joint.