Circumflex Scapular Artery

The circumflex scapular artery is a branch of the subscapular artery.

Origin

Circumflex scapular artery emerges out of the subscapular artery and connects with its destination to supply the muscles on the dorsum of the scapula through looping around the axillary perimeter of the scapula. The circumflex scapular loops around the axillary perimeter of the scapula in the middle of the subscapularis and teres minor.

Circumflex Scapular Artery – Anterior View

Circumflex Scapular Artery – Posterior View

Insertion

• It goes through the triangular neighborhood of that basic triangular area which is located at the axillary perimeter of the scapula, to the dorsum of this bone.
• Here, it anastomoses with the suprascapular and deep scapular branch of the transverse cervical arteries.
• A short branch is produced from the circumflex scapular which gets in the subscapular fossa underneath the subscapular muscle.
• The area whereby it moves is bounded by the subscapularis, the teres minor, the teres major, and the long head of the triceps.

Attachments

• It participates in the scapular anastomoses. A number of vessels take part in the arterial anastomoses around the scapula, on both of these its anterior as well as posterior surfaces.
• These consist of the dorsal scapular, subscapular (through the circumflex scapular), and suprascapular arteries.
• These types of anastomoses make a prospective collateral circulation path for the arm in case of axillary artery blockage or ligation.

Supply

• subscapularis, supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles
• latissimus dorsi muscle
• serratus anterior muscle