Anatomy of superficial thoracic artery related to subpectoral augmentation mammoplasty

Abstract

The aim of this study is to elucidate the anatomic details of superficial thoracic artery related to transaxillary subpectoral augmentation mammoplasty.

Thirty-three breasts of Korean cadavers (11 males, 6 females) were dissected. The superficial thoracic artery was found at the lateral part of the pectoralis (P.) major muscle in all cases. It originated mostly from the lateral thoracic artery (42%), thoracoacromial artery (38%), and partly from axillary artery (19%). Most of (82%) the muscle entering point was included in the circle of 2.5-cm radius. The center was located 2.5 cm superior from the intersection of the lateral border of the P. major and inferior border of the fourth rib. It was distant from 12 cm lateral to the midline and 6 cm below the sternal notch.

We think that the superficial thoracic artery might be the culprit of bleeding and severe hematoma in transaxillary subpectoral mammoplasty.