Everything about The Azygos Vein totally explained
The
azygos vein is a vein running up the right side of the thoracic
vertebral column. It is also used as an alternate path for the inferior vena cava.
Structure
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.
It is formed by the union of the ascending
lumbar veins with the right
subcostal veins at the level of the 12th thoracic vertebra, ascending in the posterior
mediastinum, and arching over the root of the right
lung to join the superior vena cava. This "arch of the azygos vein" (
arcus venae azygou) is an important anatomic landmark.
Its tributaries, apart from its main tributary, the hemiazygos vein, are the
bronchial veins,
pericardial veins, and posterior right
intercostal veins. It communicates with the
vertebral venous plexuses.
Azygos venous system
The azygos system of veins is considered to be the azygos vein, along with its left-sided counterparts, the
hemiazygos vein and the
accessory hemiazygos vein. Together, they form an
anastomosis between the
superior vena cava to the
inferior vena cava.
It can be noted that the azygos system of veins exists because the
superior vena cava and the
inferior vena cava are not continuous. While the aorta travels downward (continuously) through the mediastinum, supplying blood to the intercostal spaces, the vena cava doesn't exist at the level of the heart. Thus, the azygos venous system makes up for this deficiency of the venae cavae.
Etymology
The Greek root
zyg refers to a pair. 'A-' means
not. Thus,
azygos means
unpaired. The azygos vein is unpaired in that there's only one in the body, mostly on the right side. While there's the
hemiazygos vein and its accessory on the left side of the body, they're considered tributaries of the azygos vein rather than its left-side equivalent.
Additional images
Image:Gray480.png|Diagram showing completion of development of the parietal veins.
Image:Gray503.png|Transverse section of thorax, showing relations of pulmonary artery.
Image:Gray556.png|Base and diaphragmatic surface of heart.
Image:Gray577.png|The venæ cavæ and azygos veins, with their tributaries.
Image:Gray599.png|The thoracic and right lymphatic ducts.
Image:Gray972.png|Mediastinal surface of right lung.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Azygos Vein'.
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