Internal thoracic artery

The internal thoracic artery ( "inner chest artery " ) is one of the branches of the subclavian artery. It arises from cranial to the heart and then moves into the chest cavity caudally, being closely adjacent the sternum.

If not the Paris nomenclature accordingly so the internal thoracic artery is sometimes also called internal mammary artery. In hospital jargon also from the English nomenclature (internal mammary artery ) is then the abbreviation IMA used, especially in the area of ​​bypass surgery. According left internal mammary artery ( LIMA ) and right internal mammary artery ( RIMA ) are used.

From the internal thoracic artery arise in each intercostal space anterior intercostal arteries ( in animals intercostal arteries as ventral called ) who move in each intercostal space move forward and provide the local muscles. Approximately in the middle of the chest, the internal thoracic artery divides into the artery musculophrenic, which supplies the diaphragm, and the superior epigastric artery ( in animals cranial epigastric artery ). The superior epigastric artery pierced the chest wall and then runs in the rectus sheath caudal. It supplies the abdominal wall and anastomoses with the inferior epigastric artery, which branches off the external iliac artery.