Lumbar veins | |
---|---|
Details | |
Drains to | Inferior vena cava |
Artery | Lumbar arteries |
Identifiers | |
Latin | venae lumbales |
TA98 | A12.3.07.012 A12.3.09.003 |
TA2 | 4993 |
FMA | 70889 |
Anatomical terminology |
The lumbar veins are four pairs of veins running along the inside of the posterior abdominal wall, and drain venous blood from parts of the abdominal wall. Each lumbar vein accompanies a single lumbar artery. The lower two pairs of lumbar veins all drain directly into the inferior vena cava, whereas the fate of the upper two pairs is more variable.
Lumbar veins are the lumbar equivalent of the posterior intercostal veins of the thorax.
A lumbar vein accompanies each of the four lumbar arteries on each side of the body. [1]
Collectively, the lumbar veins drain blood from the territories supplied by the corresponding lumbar arteries (the posterior, lateral, and anterior abdominal wall). [1]
The lumbar veins drain the anterior spinal veins. [2]
The 3rd and 4th lumbar veins drain into the inferior vena cava. [3]
The fate of the two superior lumbar veins is far more variable, and may drain into either the inferior vena cava, ascending lumbar vein, azygos vein, or (on the left side) the left renal vein; the 1st lumbar vein often passes inferiorly to join the 2nd lumbar vein, but may less commonly drain into the ascending lumbar vein, or the azygos vein; the 2nd lumbar vein may drain directly into the inferior vena cava (at or near the level of the renal veins), but may less commonly join the 3rd lumbar vein or drain into the ascending lumbar vein. [1]
The 1st and 2nd lumbar veins are often interconnected with each other. An ascending lumbar vein additionally interconnects ipsilateral lumbar veins on each side. [1]
The lumbar veins communicate with the external and internal vertebral venous plexuses, and form anastomoses with tributaries of the azygos vein and hemiazygos vein (posteriorly), and (anteriorly) with branches of the epigastric veins, circumflex iliac veins, and lateral thoracic veins. The anastomoses formed by the lumbar veins provide a means of collateral veinous return. [1]
The lumbar veins are venae comitantes of the lumbar arteries. [1] Each lumbar vein lies superior to its adjacent/corresponding lumbar artery (the same arrangement as in the intercostal neurovascular bundles).[ citation needed ]
All of the lumbar veins lie posterior to the ipsilateral sympathetic trunk.[ citation needed ]
Bilateral asymmetry
On the left side, the 3rd and 4th lumbar veins pass posterior to the abdominal aorta to reach the inferior vena cava (which is displaced to the right of the midline); thus, the left 3rd and 4th lumbar veins are longer than the corresponding contralateral two lumbar veins. [1]
There is variation in which lumbar veins drain to the inferior vena cava and which drain to the ascending lumbar vein, the azygos vein, and the hemiazygos vein. [3] A left lumbar vein may drain into the left renal vein. [3]
During central venous catheterisation of the inferior vena cava, the catheter may enter a lumbar vein. [4] The catheter may need to be repositioned. [4]
The left and right brachiocephalic veins are major veins in the upper chest, formed by the union of the ipsilateral internal jugular vein and subclavian vein behind the sternoclavicular joint. The left brachiocephalic vein is more than twice the length of the right brachiocephalic vein.
The inferior vena cava is a large vein that carries the deoxygenated blood from the lower and middle body into the right atrium of the heart. It is formed by the joining of the right and the left common iliac veins, usually at the level of the fifth lumbar vertebra.
The azygos vein is a vein running up the right side of the thoracic vertebral column draining itself towards the superior vena cava. It connects the systems of superior vena cava and inferior vena cava and can provide an alternative path for blood to the right atrium when either of the venae cavae is blocked.
In human anatomy, the abdominal aorta is the largest artery in the abdominal cavity. As part of the aorta, it is a direct continuation of the descending aorta.
The renal veins in the renal circulation, are large-calibre veins that drain blood filtered by the kidneys into the inferior vena cava. There is one renal vein draining each kidney. Each renal vein is formed by the convergence of the interlobar veins of one kidney.
In human anatomy, the common iliac veins are formed by the external iliac veins and internal iliac veins. The left and right common iliac veins come together in the abdomen at the level of the fifth lumbar vertebra, forming the inferior vena cava. They drain blood from the pelvis and lower limbs.
In human anatomy, the internal thoracic vein is the vein that drains the chest wall and breasts.
The hemiazygos vein is a vein running superiorly in the lower thoracic region, just to the left side of the vertebral column.
The inferior phrenic artery is a bilaterally paired artery of the abdominal cavity which represents the main source of arterial supply to the diaphragm. Each artery usually arises either from the coeliac trunk or the abdominal aorta, however, their origin is highly variable and the different sites of origin are different for the left artery and right artery. The superior suprarenal artery is a branch of the inferior phrenic artery.
The middle suprarenal artery is a paired artery in the abdomen. It is a branch of the aorta. It supplies the adrenal gland.
The lumbar arteries are arteries located in the lower back or lumbar region. The lumbar arteries are in parallel with the intercostals.
The subcostal arteries, so named because they lie below the last ribs, constitute the lowest pair of branches derived from the thoracic aorta, and are in series with the intercostal arteries.
The testicular vein, the male gonadal vein, carries deoxygenated blood from its corresponding testis to the inferior vena cava or one of its tributaries. It is the male equivalent of the ovarian vein, and is the venous counterpart of the testicular artery.
The intercostal arteries are a group of arteries passing within an intercostal space. There are 9 anterior and 11 posterior intercostal arteries on each side of the body. The anterior intercostal arteries are branches of the internal thoracic artery and its terminal branch - the musculophrenic artery. The posterior intercostal arteries are branches of the supreme intercostal artery and thoracic aorta.
The ascending lumbar vein is a vein that runs up through the lumbar region on the side of the vertebral column.
The intervertebral veins accompany the spinal nerves through the intervertebral foramina to drain the internal vertebral venous plexuses into the external vertebral venous plexuses. They drain into vertebral vein, intercostal veins, lumbar veins, and lateral sacral veins. Upper posterior intercostal veins may additionally drain via brachiocephalic vens. They may drain to ascending lumbar veins. They may drain into the inferior vena cava directly, reaching it by winding around the surface of the vertebral body.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to human anatomy:
The posterior cardinal veins or postcardinal veins join with the corresponding right and left cardinal veins to form the left common cardinal veins, which empty in the sinus venosus. In the development of a human embryo, most of the posterior cardinal veins regress, and what remains of them forms the renal segment of the inferior vena cava and the common iliac veins. Later in the development stages, the posterior cardinal veins are replaced by the subcardinal and supracardinal veins. The subcardinal veins form part of the inferior vena cava, the renal veins and the gonadal veins. The supracardinal veins form part of the inferior vena cava, the intercostal veins, the hemiazygos vein and the azygos vein.
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