Quick Facts
Location: Forms chain along lateral thoracic artery.
Drainage: Anterior thoracic wall (skin, mammary glands, and muscles) and anterior abdominal wall (skin and muscles).
Direction of Flow: Central and infraclavicular axillary nodes > subclavian trunk > right lymphatic duct (right) or thoracic duct (left).
Description
The anterior axillary lymph nodes are located in a parietal position of the axilla, along the lateral thoracic artery, on the anterior serratus muscle. There are usually two to six anterior nodes. The most inferior is normally the largest and is termed the Sorgius node. It is located on the third indentation of the serratus anterior muscle. The upper anterior nodes lie is close association with the inferior margin of the pectoralis minor, whereas the most inferior anterior nodes lie in close association with the pectoralis major. These nodes receive lymph from the vessels that travel with the cephalic vein and the surrounding nodes in the axilla forming the axillary lymphatic plexus (Földi et al., 2012).
List of Clinical Correlates
—Breast cancer
References
Földi, M., Földi, E., Strößenreuther, R. and Kubik, S. (2012) Földi's Textbook of Lymphology: for Physicians and Lymphedema Therapists. Elsevier Health Sciences.
