The clavipectoral fascia (costocoracoid membrane; coracoclavicular fascia) is a strong

fascia A fascia (; plural fasciae or fascias; adjective fascial; from Latin: "band") is a band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, beneath the skin that attaches to, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs ...

situated under cover of the clavicular portion of the

pectoralis major The pectoralis major () is a thick, fan-shaped or triangular convergent muscle, situated at the chest of the human body. It makes up the bulk of the chest muscles and lies under the breast. Beneath the pectoralis major is the pectoralis minor, ...

. It occupies the interval between the pectoralis minor and subclavius, and protects the

axillary vein 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. Structure Its origin ...

and

artery An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are the pu ...

, and

axillary nerve The axillary nerve or the circumflex nerve is a nerve of the human body, that originates from the brachial plexus ( upper trunk, posterior division, posterior cord) at the level of the axilla (armpit) and carries nerve fibers from C5 and C6. Th ...

. Traced upward, it splits to enclose the subclavius, and its two layers are attached to the

clavicle The clavicle, or collarbone, is a slender, S-shaped long bone approximately 6 inches (15 cm) long that serves as a strut between the shoulder blade and the sternum (breastbone). There are two clavicles, one on the left and one on the r ...

, one in front of and the other behind the muscle; the deep layer fuses with the deep cervical fascia and with the sheath of the axillary vessels. Medially, it blends with the fascia covering the first two

intercostal spaces The intercostal space (ICS) is the anatomic space between two ribs (Lat. costa). Since there are 12 ribs on each side, there are 11 intercostal spaces, each numbered for the rib superior to it. Structures in intercostal space * several kind ...

, and is attached also to the first rib medial to the origin of the subclavius. Laterally, it is very thick and dense, and is attached to the

coracoid process The coracoid process (from Greek κόραξ, raven) is a small hook-like structure on the lateral edge of the superior anterior portion of the scapula (hence: coracoid, or "like a raven's beak"). Pointing laterally forward, it, together with t ...

. The portion extending from the first rib to the coracoid process is often whiter and denser than the rest, and is sometimes called the costocoracoid membrane. Below this it is thin, and at the upper border of the pectoralis minor it splits into two layers to invest the muscle; from the lower border of the pectoralis minor it is continued downward to join the axillary fascia, and lateralward to join the fascia over the short head of the

biceps brachii The biceps or biceps brachii ( la, musculus biceps brachii, "two-headed muscle of the arm") is a large muscle that lies on the front of the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow. Both heads of the muscle arise on the scapula and join ...

. The clavipectoral fascia is pierced by the

cephalic vein In human anatomy, the cephalic vein is a superficial vein in the arm. It originates from the radial end of the dorsal venous network of hand, and ascends along the radial (lateral) side of the arm before emptying into the axillary vein. At the e ...

thoracoacromial artery The thoracoacromial artery (acromiothoracic artery; thoracic axis) is a short trunk that arises from the second part of the axillary artery, its origin being generally overlapped by the upper edge of the pectoralis minor. Structure Projecting for ...

and vein, lymphatics and

lateral pectoral nerve The lateral pectoral nerve (also known as the lateral anterior thoracic nerve) arises from the lateral cord of the brachial plexus, and through it from the C5-7. It passes across the axillary artery and vein, pierces the clavipectoral (coracoc ...

References

External links

* - "Pectoral Region: Reflect Pectoralis Major Muscle" * - "Axillary Region" {{Authority control Thorax (human anatomy) Fascia

See also

References

External links