Wiktionary
n. (context anatomy English) One of two major arteries (left and right) of the upper thorax located beneath the clavicle and supplying the upper extremities and head.
WordNet
n. either of two arteries that supply blood to the neck and arms [syn: arteria subclavia]
Wikipedia
In human anatomy, the subclavian arteries are paired major arteries of the upper thorax, below the clavicle. They receive blood from the aortic arch. The left subclavian artery supplies blood to the left arm and the right subclavian artery supplies blood to the right arm, with some branches supplying the head and thorax. On the left side of the body, the subclavian comes directly off the arch of aorta, while on the right side it arises from the relatively short brachiocephalic artery when it bifurcates into the subclavian and the right common carotid artery.
The usual branches of the subclavian on both sides of the body are the vertebral artery, the internal thoracic artery, the thyrocervical trunk, the costocervical trunk and the dorsal scapular artery, which may branch off the transverse cervical artery which is a branch of the thyrocervical trunk. The subclavian becomes the axillary artery at the lateral border of the first rib.
Usage examples of "subclavian artery".
There I was struck on the shoulder by a Jezail bullet, which shattered the bone and grazed the subclavian artery.
This ductus opened into the descending aorta just below the origin of the left subclavian artery.
The blade slid smoothly through the half-circle described by the man's first rib, making a tiny chink as it scraped down the inside of his right clavicle and snicked through the subclavian artery.
He'd been incredibly lucky, managing to get a seal patch over his right subclavian artery while he'd been in the process of bleeding to death.
It scraped through the thick fabric of his armor and off bone and through rubbery flesh, then penetrated the subclavian artery.