Editing Breast (section)

== '''Lymphatic drainage:''' ==

* Abundant lymphatics in the     breast parenchyma and dermis
* 'Sappey plexus' located under     the NAC. Lymph flows from skin to subareolare Sappey plexus, then into the     interlobular lymphatics of breast parenchyma
* Sentinel node location:
** 75% of breast lymph passes      to axillary lymph nodes, mainly to anterior nodes, some to posterior      nodes; direct drainage to central or apical nodes is possible.
** 25% to parasternal nodes      along the internal thoracic artery (5% sole pathway, 20% shared with      axilla)
* Can drain to posterior     intercostal nodes.
* Occasionally, can drain to     infraclavicular nodes in the deltopectoral groove
* Direct drainage from breast     to supraclavicular nodes is possible
* These minor pathways tend to     only convey lymph from breast when the major channels are obstructed by     malignant disease.