In human anatomy, the axillary vein is a large blood vessel that conveys blood from the lateral aspect of the thorax, axilla (armpit) and upper limb toward the heart. There is one axillary vein on each side of the body.
This large vein is formed by the brachial vein and the basilic vein.Moore, Keith L. et al. (2010) Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 6th Ed, p.718 At its terminal part, it is also joined by the cephalic vein.Moore, Keith L. et al. (2010) Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 6th Ed, p.718 Other tributaries include the subscapular vein, circumflex humeral vein, lateral thoracic vein and thoraco-acromial vein.Moore, Keith L. et al. (2010) Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 6th Ed, fig.6.16 It terminates at the lateral margin of the first rib, at which it becomes the subclavian vein.
It is accompanied along its course by a similarly named artery, the axillary artery, which lies laterally to the axillary vein.
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