NEET PG Medical – 2012 – Question – 38
A patient is found to have a melanoma originating in the skin of the left forearm. After removal of the tumor from the forearm, all axillary lymph nodes lateral to the medial edge of the pectoralis minor muscle are removed. Which axillary nodes would not be removed?
a) Apical lymph nodes
b) Central lymph nodes
c) Lateral lymph nodes
d) Pectoral lymph nodes
Correct Answer – A
The lymph nodes lateral to the LATERAL edge of the pectoralis minor are the lateral axillary nodes. Pectoral or anterior axillary nodes are deep to the lateral edge of the pectoralis major muscle.
Central axillary nodes are found directly under pectoralis minor, while subscapular or posterior axillary nodes are adjacent to the subscapularis muscle. The apical axillary nodes are medial to the medial edge of pectoralis minor and so it won’t be removed.
| level | Part of axilla | Lymph nodes |
| I | Low axilla | Lymph nodes lateral to the lateral border of pectoralis minor(central group, lateral group, anterior group, posterior group) |
| II | Mid axilla | Lymph nodes between the lateral and medial borders of pectoralis minor. plus interpectoral lymph nodes |
| III | Apical axilla | Lymph nodes medial to medial margin of pectoralis minor (including subclavicular, infraclavicular or apical). |
