Scalenus medius

Scalenus medius
The anterior vertebral muscles. (Scalenus medius visible in bottom center-right.)
Section of the neck at about the level of the sixth cervical vertebra. Showing the arrangement of the fascia coli. (Scalenus medius visible at center left.)
Latin	musculus scalenus medius
Gray's	subject #114 396
Origin	C2-C6
Insertion	first rib
Artery	Ascending cervical artery (branch of Inferior thyroid artery)
Nerve	Ventral rami of the third to eighth cervical spinal nerves
Actions	Elevate 1st rib, rotate the neck to the opposite side

The Scalenus medius, the largest and longest of the three scalene muscles, arises from the posterior tubercles of the transverse processes of the lower six cervical vertebræ. It descendes along the side of the vertebral column to insert by a broad attachment into the upper surface of the first rib, between the tubercle and the subclavian groove. The brachial plexus and the subclavian artery pass anterior to it. Because it elevates the upper ribs, the middle scalene muscle is also one of the accessory muscles of respiration.

See also

• Scalene muscles
• Accessory muscles of respiration

Additional images

• 

  Peculiar ribs.

• 

  Muscles of the neck. Lateral view.

• 

  Scalenus medius muscle

External links

• LUC sm - scalenus medius

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.