ABSTRACT
Objective:To study the angiographic anatomy of the lateral costal artery (LCA) and its effect on hemoptysis.Methods:The CT data of angiography and angiographic-CT in 303 patients with hemoptysis in Guangzhou First People′s Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The origin and travel of the lateral costal artery and the blood supply of the LCA involved in the pulmonary lesion were analyzed.Results:In 303 patients with hemoptysis, 30 LCA were detected in 24 cases, including 12 on the left and 18 on the right, 18 on one side and 6 on both sides. All of them were the first branch of the first segment of the internal thoracic artery (ITA). The level of LCA originating from ITA was located in 1(3.3%) branch above clavicle, 27(90.0%) branches behind clavicle and 2(6.7%) branches below clavicle. LCA entered into the chest behind the first anterior rib, and walked along inner surface of the thorax from the anterior and superior direction to the outer and posterior direction, between the rib-intercostal medial muscle and pleura (i.e., anatomical intrathoracic fascia), and mostly terminated at the axillary midline plane. 28 LCA in 23 patients which can be used for morphological analysis, roughly manifested as follow three shapes: ⑴ 13(46.4%) of them were arc-shaped. The developed LCA was longer and showed shallow or deep arc-shaped curve; ⑵ High flat shape, total 11 LCA (39.3%), the LCA were relatively shorter, position higher and more gentle; ⑶ 4(14.3%) were straight and oblique. The developed LCA was relatively long, and the angle between LCA and ITA was linear. 11 vessels (36.67%) of 10 patients participated in the blood supply of pulmonary lesions, among which 2, 5, 1, 2 and 1 vessels were responsible for the first, second, third, fourth and fifth hemoptysis respectively.Conclusions:The LCA is a relatively common blood vessel and it can be well shown by angiography and angiographic CT. It is of great clinical significance to understand LCA.
ABSTRACT
A study on the incidence of the lateral costal artery was performed upon 117 Thai cadavers; 69 males and 48 females. The artery was found in 14 cases (11.97%), 11 males and 3 females. Bilateral arteries were observed in 5 cadavers. In 5 cadavers the artery occurred on the right side, and in 4 cases it was seen on the left. Most of the arteries terminated in the second, the third and the fourth intercostal spaces. Only in the case of an 84-year-old male with the bilateral arteries had the right artery end in the seventh intercostals space while the left artery reached to the fifth. All lateral costal arteries rose from the internal thoracic region.