Veins Intercostal Anterior

Anterior intercostal veins (lat. vena intercostalis anterior) - a paired vein located on the sides of the anterior intercostal muscle and connecting the upper, middle parts of the anterior chest wall with the axillary vein. The superior and inferior thyroid, suprascapular, subclavian, posterior deep thoracic and transverse cervical anterior veins flow into it.

Initially, there is one paired venous artery from the prevertebral plexus into two or three vessels with a bilateral distribution. It is part of the large internal mammary vein and flows into the facial vein at the level of the superior edge of the pterygoid process (Fig. 20.9). The paired artery anastomoses with its posterior branch (piercing the vertebral foramina) on the outer surface of the medulla oblongata. In the terminal part it forms an anastomosis with the lymphatic vessels of the thyroid gland. The paired anterior intercostal muscle covers the front of the thoracic diaphragm, located in the interval from the xiphoid process to the cartilaginous part of the lower ribs. It receives the main anterior intercostal vessel from the front, and from behind it is fed by the posterior vein, passing inside the intercostal spaces between the intercostal muscles.