Internal thoracic artery

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The internal thoracic artery (ITA), also known as the internal mammary artery (IMA), is an artery that supplies the anterior chest wall and the breasts. It is a branch of the subclavian artery and runs down the inside of the chest wall, lateral to the sternum.

Anatomy

The internal thoracic artery arises from the inferior surface of the subclavian artery near its origin. It descends posterior to the clavicle and the first rib, and then runs vertically downward, lateral to the sternum and anterior to the pleura.

Branches

The internal thoracic artery gives off several branches, including:

• Pericardiophrenic artery
• Anterior intercostal branches
• Perforating branches
• Mediastinal branches
• Thymic branches

At the level of the sixth intercostal space, it divides into two terminal branches:

• Superior epigastric artery
• Musculophrenic artery

Function

The internal thoracic artery supplies blood to the anterior chest wall and the breasts. It is often used in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) due to its excellent long-term patency rates.

Clinical significance

The internal thoracic artery is commonly used in cardiac surgery for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) is preferred for grafting to the left anterior descending artery (LAD) because of its superior long-term patency compared to other grafts.

See also

• Subclavian artery
• Coronary artery bypass surgery
• Anterior chest wall
• Breast