Rare atypical vascular pattern of subscapular artery: Anatomico-clinical insight

Background and Objective. The use of muscles of scapular region in transposition and reparative surgery has made the anatomical knowledge of axillary artery and its branches imperative. The subscapular arterial tree is frequently used as a source of microvascular grafts to replace damaged or diseased portion of arteries especially in upper and lower limbs. This investigation is aimed to study the variation in branching pattern of the third part of axillary artery. Materials and Methods. Routine educational cadaveric dissection of a young adult Indian male cadaver. Results. The present article highlights a rare variation of the subscapular artery and its branches. The subscapular artery displayed a unique pattern of trifurcation. Its branches were seen supplying serratus anterior, subscapularis, latissimus dorsi and teres major muscles. Conclusion. The study focuses on a new variation of the subscapular artery which could prove useful for interventional radiologists and surgeons in reconstructive surgeries.