Esophageal veins
Encyclopedia
The esophageal veins drain blood from the esophagus
to the azygos vein
, in the thorax, and to the inferior thyroid vein in the neck. It also drains, although with less significance, to the hemiazygos vein
, posterior intercostal vein and bronchial veins
.
In the abdomen, some drain to the left gastric vein
.
Esophagus
The esophagus is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. During swallowing, food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus and travels via peristalsis to the stomach...
to the azygos vein
Azygos vein
The azygos vein is a vein running up the right side of the thoracic vertebral column. It can also provide an alternate path for blood to the right atrium by allowing the blood to flow between the venae cavae when one vena cava is blocked.-Structure:...
, in the thorax, and to the inferior thyroid vein in the neck. It also drains, although with less significance, to the hemiazygos vein
Hemiazygos vein
The hemiazygos vein is a vein running superiorly in the lower thoracic region, just to the left side of the vertebral column.-Structure:...
, posterior intercostal vein and bronchial veins
Bronchial veins
The bronchial veins are small vessels that return blood from the larger bronchi and structures at the roots of the lungs. The right side drains into the azygos vein, while the left side drains into the left superior intercostal vein or the accessory hemiazygos vein.The bronchial veins are...
.
In the abdomen, some drain to the left gastric vein
Left gastric vein
The left gastric vein carries blood low in oxygen, tributaries derived from both surfaces of the stomach; it runs from right to left along the lesser curvature of the stomach, between the two layers of the lesser omentum, to the esophageal opening of the stomach, where it receives some esophageal...
.
External links
- http://www.med.mun.ca/anatomyts/digest/avein6.htm