[An anatomical study of the proximal portion of the internal thoracic artery].
OBJECTIVE
The internal thoracic artery was studied because of its recent use in the revascularization of the myocardium of patients having coronary artery disease.


METHODS
The artery of 50 cadavers of adult individuals, 22 (44%) females and 28 (56%) males, whose age ranged from 20 to 84 years, was studied after neoprene latex injection. The specimens were fixed in 10% formaldehyde solution and dissected macroscopically and mesoscopically, seeking the origin of the artery, its relation to the phrenic nerve and the origin of the pericardiophrenic artery.


RESULTS
The origin of the internal thoracic artery is much more frequent isolate (80%) than in a common trunk with other arteries (20%) from the subclavian artery. The left and right phrenic nerves cross anteriorly the artery in 54% of the cases; posteriorly in 14%; the right nerve crosses it anteriorly and the left posteriorly in 22%; and the reverse occurs in 10%. The pericardiophrenic artery is a branch of the internal thoracic artery in 99% of the cases and the average distance between the origins of these two arteries is 3.9 +/- 1.3 cm.


CONCLUSIONS
The internal thoracic artery originates isolatedly from the subclavian artery in 80%, and the left and right phrenic nerves cross it anteriorly in 54% of the cases. The pericardiophrenic artery is a branch of the internal thoracic artery in 99% of the cases.
Henriquez-Pino
J A
JA
Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo.
Prates
J C
JC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013895:Thoracic Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
Estudo anatômico da porção proximal da artéria torácica interna.