Video: Axillary vein

This is the almighty axillary vein. Deoxygenated blood from the axilla, upper limb and thorax pass through this vein before it reaches the heart.

So yeah, it's that important! Let's quickly review the anatomy of the axillary vein. The axillary vein originates or drains from where the brachial and basilic veins meet.

It receives deoxygenated blood from 6 tributaries: the subscapular vein, the anterior and posterior circumflex humeral veins, the lateral thoracic vein, the thoracoacromial vein, and the cephalic vein.

Note this: the tributaries correspond to the branches of the axillary artery, which have similar trajectories. Once in the axillary vein, blood goes on to the subclavian vein where it continues to the heart.

The axillary vein is often considered for cannulation, or inserting a tube and catheter. It is also a useful site to implant a pacemaker near the heart, through a minimally invasive procedure.