Arteries Supplying the Mammary Gland

Description

Anterior chest wall anatomy is rendered with the mammary gland positioned superficial to pectoralis major, with pectoralis minor deeper and oriented inferolaterally toward the coracoid region. Arterial branches course through the subcutaneous adipose tissue and fibroglandular parenchyma, converging toward the nipple and areola where the lactiferous ducts terminate. Medially, perforating vessels consistent with internal thoracic artery branches enter the breast near the parasternal region, while laterally the vascular supply aligns with the expected contribution from the lateral thoracic artery and pectoral branches of the thoracoacromial trunk along the axillary margin. Blue lymphatic channels track toward the axilla and also medially toward parasternal nodes. A vascular map for the breast. Surgical planning depends on this distribution. Reduction mammoplasty, mastectomy, and nipple-sparing procedures all hinge on preserving arterial inflow to the nipple–areolar complex, most often via superomedial and lateral pedicles that incorporate internal thoracic perforators and lateral thoracic branches. The same pathways explain brisk bleeding encountered when elevating skin flaps in the superficial fascia, and they frame oncologic teaching about why breast carcinoma can drain to axillary nodes and to internal mammary nodes along the sternum, a route that matters when considering radiotherapy fields and sentinel lymph node strategies. Use this illustration in gross anatomy and surgical anatomy courses to correlate breast parenchyma with pectoral musculature, arterial sources, and lymphatic drainage, and in textbooks or patient-education materials covering breast surgery, reconstructive pedicles, and cancer staging pathways. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.