Rare Variation of Axillary Artery and its Clinical Significance

Axillary artery pulsations serve as a landmark for clinical procedures like brachial plexus block and subclavian vein puncture. Axillary artery is also increasingly being utilized as a graft for coronary artery bypass. The present article reports a rare case of axillary artery variation. In this case, gross deviation from the normal anatomy was observed in an adult embalmed cadaver. Axillary vein arched over the second part of axillary artery and then continued posterior to the artery throughout its course. A variant relationship of brachial plexus cords and branches to the artery was also observed. All the cords and their branches were posteriosuperior to the axillary artery in abducted position of arm. The immediate posterior relation of axillary artery in its second and third part was axillary vein and ulnar nerve. This variation may have important clinical implications while performing subclavian vein puncture for central venous line and brachial plexus blocks. Knowledge of such variations is also important in interpreting images and in carrying out surgical and anaesthetic procedures involving axillary artery.