Anatomical variants during axillary dissection.

Abstract

This study was done to document the variations encountered in the anatomy of the axilla because of the difficulty they can cause during dissection. A record was made of the anatomy of the axilla in 100 patients with breast cancer who had an axillary dissection. The variants from the described normal included double axillary veins, abnormal bands of muscle from the latissimus dorsi stretching across the axilla and a medial lying thoracodorsal nerve. Damage to important structures in the axilla during axillary dissection can be minimized with an awareness of the possible anatomical variations.