Variations in the branching pattern of axillary artery with high origin of radial artery

An unusual unilateral variation in the branching pattern of axillary artery was observed in the right upper limb of a 70-year-old male cadaver. The axillary artery had eight branches. Lateral thoracic artery was the first branch arising from first part of the axillary artery, two thoracoacromial arteries; one from the first part and other from the second part, two posterior circumflex humeral arteries arose from the third part. There was high origin of radial artery from the second part of axillary artery. Early division of the subscapular artery was also observed. The normal and variant anatomy of this region has pragmatic importance for surgeons and anatomists for accurate diagnosis and surgical procedures. Literature is replete with reports related to variants of branching pattern of the axillary artery. We report a case showing a hitherto unknown and unreported unique branching pattern of the axillary artery.