Serratus posterior superior muscle
Latin	musculus serratus posterior superior
Gray's	subject #117 404
Origin	nuchal ligament (or ligamentum nuchae) and the spinous processes of the vertebrae C7 through T3
Insertion	the upper borders of the 2nd through 5th ribs
Artery	intercostal arteries
Nerve	2nd through 5th intercostal nerves
Actions	elevate the ribs which aids in inspiration

The Serratus posterior superior is a thin, quadrilateral muscle, situated at the upper and back part of the thorax.

It arises by a thin and broad aponeurosis from the lower part of the ligamentum nuchae, from the spinous processes of the seventh cervical and upper two or three thoracic vertebræ and from the supraspinal ligament.

Inclining downward and lateralward it becomes muscular, and is inserted, by four fleshy digitations, into the upper borders of the second, third, fourth, and fifth ribs, a little beyond their angles.

[edit] References

• Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 4th ed. Keith L. Moore and Arthur F. Dalley.
• Board Review Series: Gross Anatomy, 4th ed. Kyung Won Chung.

[edit] See also

• Serratus anterior muscle
• Serratus posterior inferior muscle

[edit] External links

• LUC sps
• Serratus+posterior+superior at eMedicine Dictionary
• SUNY Figs 01:05-02 - "Intermediate layer of the extrinsic muscles of the back, deep muscles."

v • d • e List of muscles of torso (TA A04.3-5, GA 4.397) Back splenius (capitis, cervicis) · erector spinae (iliocostalis, longissimus, spinalis) · latissimus dorsi transversospinales: (semispinalis dorsi, semispinalis cervicis, semispinalis capitis, multifidus, rotatores) · interspinales · intertransversarii Vertebral column: trapezius · latissimus dorsi · rhomboid (major, minor) · levator scapulae fascia: Thoracolumbar fascia Thorax intercostales (external, internal, innermost) · subcostales · transversus thoracis · levatores costarum · serratus posterior (inferior, superior) · diaphragm Thoracic cavity: pectoralis major · pectoralis minor · subclavius · serratus anterior fascia: Pectoral fascia · Clavipectoral fascia Abdominopelvic Abdomen/ wall Anterior/ lateral Abdominal external oblique · Transversus abdominis/Conjoint tendon · Rectus sheath (rectus abdominis, pyramidalis) · Arcuate line · Tendinous intersection Cremaster · Abdominal internal oblique Fascia/abdominal fascia: panniculus adiposus (Fascia of Camper) · stratum membranosum (Fascia of Scarpa) · Transversalis fascia (Interfoveolar ligament) Linea alba · Linea semilunaris · Inguinal triangle Inguinal canal (Deep inguinal ring, Superficial inguinal ring, Intercrural fibers, Crura of superficial inguinal ring) Inguinal ligament (Pectineal ligament, Lacunar ligament, Reflected ligament) Posterior quadratus lumborum · psoas major/psoas minor · iliacus  · iliopsoas fascia (Iliac fascia/Iliopectineal arch) Pelvis levator ani (iliococcygeus, pubococcygeus, puborectalis) · coccygeus fascia/pelvic fascia visceral (Rectovaginal fascia, Rectoprostatic fascia) · parietal (Obturator fascia/Tendinous arch, Piriformis fascia) floor/diaphragm: Superior fascia of pelvic diaphragm (Pubovesical ligament, Puboprostatic ligament) · Inferior fascia of pelvic diaphragm Anococcygeal body

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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.