Veins Upper Body

R Inferior Thyroid Vein

The inferior thyroid vein may refer to any of the two, three or four veins that make up the venous plexus, an intricate system of interconnected veins that drain blood away from the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located in the front of the neck, just above the center of the collarbone. Among other functions, the thyroid determines how quickly the body produces or makes energy, controls the body’s sensitivity or response to hormones, and creates proteins. Two veins divide from the venous plexus: the left vein merges with the brachiocephalic artery while the right vein merges with the superior vena cava, the major vein directly connected to the heart. Specifically, the vein functions to carry deoxygenated blood from the thyroid gland, where it is transported back to the heart. Because the thyroid gland is a very vascular organ (this means it contains many blood vessels), the vein circulates a huge amount of blood, together with the thyroid arteries. Since the venous plexus is located in front of the trachea (windpipe), severe trauma to the frontal part of the neck may cause at least one inferior thyroid vein to rupture or break, leading to hemorrhage (bleeding). Surgical procedures of the trachea are performed with the utmost caution in order to prevent such incidences. Source

R Subclavian Vein

The subclavian vein is an extension of the axillary vein that originates at the outer border of the first rib. There are two such vessels within the human body – the left subclavian vein and the right subclavian vein. They run under the collarbone, or clavicle, where they connect to the internal jugular veins to form the innominate, or brachiocephalic, veins. The subclavian veins measure between one to two centimeters in diameter, equivalent to a pinky finger; however, they can be smaller or larger depending on the individual. While arteries carry blood from the heart to circulate throughout the body, subclavian veins, like any other vein in the body, carry blood to the heart. The function of the subclavian vein is to empty blood from the upper extremities and then carry it back to the heart. They connect with several other smaller veins in the body such as the interior jugular veins. Each subclavian vein follows its own path throughout the body connecting with its own set of veins. Source

R Brachiocephalic Vein

The brachiocephalic vein, also known as an innominate vein, is a vein that returns oxygen-depleted blood from the upper limbs, neck, and head to the heart. There is a brachiocephalic vein on the left side of the neck and one on the right. The brachiocephalic vein on the left side of the neck is approximately 6 to 8 cm in length, while the brachiocephalic vein on the right is approximately two centimeters long. The two brachiocephalic veins merge together with the azygous vein, which carries deoxygenated blood from the rib cage, to form the superior vena cava. The blood that flows into the heart from the superior vena cava is controlled by the contractions of the heart. Source

R Hepatic Portal Vein

The hepatic portal vein is one of the most important vein that receives blood from the body and transports it into the liver for filtration and processing. This vein is part of the hepatic portal system that receives all of the blood draining from the abdominal digestive tract, as well as from the pancreas, gallbladder, and spleen. ‘Hepatic’ means of or relating to the liver, therefore the hepatic portal vein is a blood vessel that sends nutrient-rich blood from the gastrointestinal tract and spleen to the liver. Source

R Intercostal Vein

Intercostal vein is a term that is used to describe the numerous veins that function to drain the rib cage’s intercostal spaces. The intercostal spaces, often abbreviated as ICS, are located between two ribs. Rib cages consist of 11 of these spaces in total. Another common word for the intercostal spaces is ‘costae.’ A handful of different divisions of these veins exist. These divisions are posterior veins, anterior veins, superior veins, supreme veins, and subcostal veins. The posterior veins drain the spaces from the back. The anterior veins drain out the anterior regions. The superior veins drain blood from the second, third, and fourth intercostal spaces. The supreme veins drain from the first costae. Lastly, the subcostal veins are situated directly under the lowermost rib and are similar to the posterior veins. Source

R Azygos Vein

The azygos vein is a vein running up the 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. The azygos vein transports deoxygenated blood from the posterior walls of the thorax and abdomen into the superior vena cava vein. The anatomy of this blood vessel can be quite variable. In some rare variations for example, it also drains thoracic veins, bronchial veins and even gonadal veins. The vein is so named because it has no symmetrically equivalent vein on the left side of the body.

R Vena Cava

These are two large veins (venous trunks) that return deoxygenated blood from the body into the heart. In humans there are the superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava, and both empty into the right atrium. They are located slightly off-center, toward the right side of the body. The inferior vena cava is also referred to as the posterior vena cava. The inferior vena cava is a large vein that carries de-oxygenated blood from the lower body to the heart. De-oxygenated blood means most of the oxygen has been removed by tissues, and therefore the blood is darker. This blood comes from the legs and the lower torso of the body. The inferior vena cava empties into the right atrium of the heart. The right atrium is located on the lower right back side of the heart. The inferior vena cava runs posterior, or behind, the abdominal cavity. This vein also runs alongside the right vertebral column of the spine. The inferior vena cava is the result of two major leg veins coming together. These leg veins are called iliac veins. The iliac veins come together at the small of the back, at the fifth lumbar vertebra. Once the iliac veins have merged, the inferior vena cava begins to transport blood to the heart. The superior vena cava (SVC, also known as the cava or cva) is a short, but large diameter vein located in the anterior right superior mediastinum. Embryologically, the SVC is formed by the left and right brachiocephalic veins (also known as the innominate veins) that also receive blood from the upper limbs, certain parts of the head, one being the eyes, and neck. https://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/inferior-vena-cava . Source

R Renal Vein

There are two renal veins, a left and a right. They branch off the inferior vena cava and drain oxygen-depleted blood from the kidneys. As they enter the kidneys, each vein separates into two parts. The posterior veins assist in draining the back section of each kidney, while the anterior veins assist the front part. These veins also are responsible for draining blood from the ureter, which transports urine away from the kidneys to the urinary bladder. These veins should not be confused with the renal aorta. Unlike veins, the renal aorta delivers oxygenated blood to the kidneys. To simplify, the aorta carries blood to the kidneys while veins move the blood away. There are two notable diseases that involve the renal veins. If a clot (or thrombus) develops, this can cause renal vein thrombosis (RVT). Symptoms include a diminished flow of urine, along with blood in the urine. Treatment would require either anticoagulants and/or clot-removing surgery. Another issue is nutcracker syndrome (NCS), which occurs when one of the renal veins is compressed between the abdominal aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. Source

R Ant. Sup. Pancreaticoduodenal

The pancreaticoduodenal veins accompany their corresponding arteries: the superior pancreaticoduodenal artery and the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery, the lower of the two frequently joins the right gastroepiploic vein. The superior pancreaticoduodenal artery is an artery that supplies blood to the duodenum and pancreas. It is a branch of the gastroduodenal artery, which most commonly arises from the common hepatic artery of the celiac trunk. The pancreaticoduodenal artery divides into two branches as it descends, an anterior and posterior branch. These branches then travel around the head of the pancreas and duodenum, eventually joining with the anterior and posterior branches of the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery. The inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery branches from the superior mesenteric artery or from its first intestinal branch, opposite the upper border of the inferior part of the duodenum. The inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery is a branch of the superior mesenteric artery. As soon as it branches, it divides into anterior and posterior branches. These run between the head of the pancreas and the lesser curvature of the duodenum. They then join (anastomose) with the anterior and posterior branches of the superior pancreaticoduodenal artery.

R Ant. Inf. Pancreaticoduodenal

R Middle Colic Vein

The middle colic vein drains the transverse colon. It is a tributary of the superior mesenteric vein, and follows the path of its corresponding artery, the middle colic artery.

L Brachiocephalic Vein

L Inferior Thyroid Vein

L Intercostal Veins

L Subclavian Vein

R Hemiazygos Vein

The hemiazygos vein (vena azygos minor inferior) is a vein running superiorly in the lower thoracic region, just to the left side of the vertebral column. The hemiazygos vein and the accessory hemiazygos vein, when taken together, essentially serve as the left-sided equivalent of the azygos vein. That is, the azygos vein serves to drain most of the posterior intercostal veins on the right side of the body, and the hemiazygos vein and the accessory hemiazygos vein drain most of the posterior intercostal veins on the left side of the body. Specifically, the hemiazygos vein mirrors the bottom part of the azygos vein.

R Gastric Vein

The right gastric vein (pyloric vein) drains blood from the lesser curvature of the stomach into the hepatic portal vein.

R Hepatic Veins

Hepatic veins are blood vessels which transport the liver’s deoxygenated blood and blood which has been filtered by the liver (this is blood from the pancreas, colon, small intestine, and stomach) to the inferior vena cava. The hepatic veins originate in the liver lobule’s central vein. Hepatic veins are unusual in that they do not have valves. Source

R Splenic Vein

The spleen provides a critical function to the body. It not only recycles iron, but it also stores, recycles, and produces red blood cells. The spleen’s white pulp processes antibodies and helps remove bacteria from the blood. As such, the spleen’s role is not only active in the circulatory system, but in the body’s immune system as well. Formerly the lienal vein, the splenic vein services the spleen. It drains deoxygenated blood away from the spleen to a junction with the superior mesenteric vein. As a result, the hepatic portal vein is formed. From there, deoxygenated blood ultimately travels to the inferior vena cava and to the heart, which pumps it into the lung’s blood vessels where it is supplied with fresh oxygen. The splenic vein works in opposition to the splenic artery, which branches off the celiac artery. The splenic artery feeds oxygenated blood to the spleen and the surrounding areas, and the course of the splenic vein runs close to the artery. Since the spleen is vital to the circulatory system, it needs constant functionality from both blood vessels. Source

L Renal Vein

R Great Pancreatic Vein

The pancreatic veins consist of several small vessels which drain the body and tail of the pancreas, and open into the trunk of the great pancreatic vein. Located in the pancreas, the pancreatic vein is responsible for draining the pancreas into the superior mesenteric and splenic veins. It contributes to the significant role of the pancreas since this gland has a diverse set of functions in digestion and sugar metabolism. The pancreas also serves as a storage reservoir for several digestive enzymes. The pancreatic vein is connected to several small veins that drain the body and tail sections of the pancreas. Source

R Gastroepiploic Vein

The right gastroepiploic vein (right gastroomental vein) is a blood vessel that drains blood from the greater curvature and left part of the body of the stomach into the superior mesenteric vein. It runs from left to right along the greater curvature of the stomach between the two layers of the greater omentum, along with the right gastroepiploic artery. As a tributary of the superior mesenteric vein, it is a part of the hepatic portal system. Source