Dorsal Scapular Artery

Description

Posterior thorax and shoulder girdle are rendered with the scapula lying on the posterolateral rib cage, the clavicle extending anteromedially toward the sternum, and the cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae forming the medial backdrop. Along the medial border of the scapula, the dorsal scapular artery descends inferiorly in the plane deep to the rhomboid muscles and adjacent to the scapular attachment region, giving muscular branches and small arterioles. Red arterial channels contrast with blue venous pathways over the posterior neck and shoulder, clarifying the relationship of the vessel to the vertebral column medially and the scapular spine and posterior deltoid region laterally. Orientation is a back, slightly oblique view. Course and origin matter with this vessel because the dorsal scapular artery is anatomically variable, arising from the subclavian artery as a direct branch or from the transverse cervical artery, and its relationship to the dorsal scapular nerve influences posterior shoulder pain patterns. This is the artery at risk during posterior approaches that release or repair rhomboid attachments along the medial scapular border, and it can be a source of bleeding during scapular fracture exposure or deep posterior shoulder dissection. A clean posterior view makes the scapular border an immediate landmark. Fast to teach, and easy to misidentify. Use this asset in gross anatomy and musculoskeletal blocks to anchor the vascular supply of the rhomboid major and minor and to reinforce neurovascular pairing of the dorsal scapular artery with the dorsal scapular nerve. It also fits surgical anatomy chapters on posterior scapular exposure, flap planning, and operative management around the medial scapular border in orthopedic and plastic surgery texts. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.