axillary lymph nodes

Last reviewed 01/2018

The axillary lymph nodes are relevant clinically in so much as they are the route of lymphatic drainage of the breast, arm and posterior wall of the thorax. Typically, there are 20-40 nodes on each side arranged in groups. They lie deep within the connective tissue of the axillary fascia and tend to amass around axillary blood vessels.

The groups include:

• anterior
• posterior
• medial
• lateral
• central
• apical