| posterior intercostal arteries | Terminal branches of the superior intercostal artery (from costocervical trunk) supplying upper two intercostal spaces (1-2). Posterior intercostal arteries 3-11, one of nine pairs of arteries arising from the thoracic aorta and distributed to the nine lower intercostal spaces, vertebral column, spinal cord, and muscles and integument of the back; they anastomose with branches of the musculophrenic, internal thoracic, superior epigastric, subcostal and lumbar. Synonym: arteriae intercostales posteriores. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| posterior intercostal veins | Veins draining the intercostal spaces posteriorly; those of the first 1-C space drain into the brachiocephalic veins; from spaces 2-3 they drain into right and left superior intercostal veins; from the fourth to the eleventh spaces on the right they are tributaries of the azygos vein; on the left they empty into either the hemiazygos or accessory hemiazygos veins. Synonym: venae intercostales posteriores. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superior intercostal vein | <anatomy, vein> See: left superior intercostal vein, right superior intercostal vein. (05 Mar 2000) |
| supreme intercostal vein | <anatomy, vein> The vein draining the first intercostal space into either the vertebral or the brachiocephalic vein. Synonym: vena intercostalis suprema, supreme intercostal vein. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal branch of the posterior intercostal arteries 3-11 | Terminal branch (with ventral branch) of the 3rd through 11th posterior intercostal arteries, distributed to thoracic portion of posterior vertebral column, spinal cord and environs, and back. Synonym: ramus dorsalis arteriarum intercostalium posteriorum III-XI. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal branch of the posterior intercostal veins 4-11 | Major tributary of the 4th through 11th posterior intercostal veins; area drained is the same as that supplied by the dorsal branch of posterior intercostal arteries. Synonym: ramus dorsalis venarum intercostalium posteriorum IV-XI. (05 Mar 2000) |
| innermost intercostal muscle | <anatomy> A layer parallel to and essentially part of the internal intercostal muscle but separated from it by the intercostal vessels and nerves.internal intercostal muscle for attachment, action and nerve supply. Synonym: musculus intercostalis intimus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| intercostal | <anatomy> Situated between the ribs. Origin: L. Costa = rib (18 Nov 1997) |
| intercostal anaesthesia | Regional anaesthesia produced by injection of local anaesthetic solution about intercostal nerves. (05 Mar 2000) |
| intercostal arteries | Arteries which course in the thoracic wall between ribs. See: anterior intercostal arteries, posterior intercostal arteries 1-2, posterior intercostal arteries 3-11, superior intercostal artery. (05 Mar 2000) |
| intercostal ligaments | The membranous layers between ribs. Synonym: membranae intercostalia, intercostal ligaments, ligamenta intercostalia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| intercostal lymph nodes | One or two small nodes located posteriorly in each intercostal space; they receive lymph from the parietal pleura, intercostal space, and posterior body wall; the nodes in the upper spaces empty into the thoracic duct; the nodes in the lower spaces form a descending intercostal trunk that opens into the cisterna chyli. Synonym: nodi lymphatici intercostales. (05 Mar 2000) |
| intercostal membranes | The membranous layers between ribs. Synonym: membranae intercostalia, intercostal ligaments, ligamenta intercostalia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| intercostal muscle | <anatomy> Muscle tissue between two ribs. This muscle is a type called skeletal muscle. (12 Dec 1998) |
| intercostal muscles | Respiratory muscles that arise from the lower border of one rib and insert into the upper border of the adjoining rib, and contract during inspiration or respiration. (12 Dec 1998) |