subclavian vein

Examples of subclavian vein in the following topics:

• Lymph Trunks and Ducts

  • The lymph trunks drain into the lymph ducts, which in turn return lymph to the blood by emptying into the respective subclavian veins.
  • These are the largest lymph vessels and contain three layers, similar to those of great veins.
  • The thoracic duct drains into to the left subclavian vein while the right duct drains into the right subclavian vein, both at the junction between the respective vein and the jugular vein.
  • The two subclavian veins then merge into the vena cava,  the large vein that brings deoxygenated blood to the heart.
  • The lymph ducts each have internal valves at their junction with the subclavian vein.

• Veins of the Head and Neck

  • The superficial external jugular vein is formed from the retromandibular vein and the posterior auricular vein at a point adjacent to the mandible.
  • The external jugular vein passes down the neck and underneath the clavicle before draining into the subclavian vein.
  • Upon exiting the neck, the internal jugular vein merges with the subclavian vein to form the brachiocephalic vein.
  • Additional veins such as the occipital, deep cervical, and thyroid veins drain directly into the brachiocephalic vein.
  • The veins of head and neck are labeled in blue, with an arrow pointing to the auricular vein.

• Veins of the Upper Limbs

  • The major deep veins of the arm are the radial and ulnar veins, which run along the length of their respective bones and merge at the elbow to form the paired brachial vein.
  • The major superficial veins of the upper limb are the cephalic, median cubital and basilic veins.
  • The basilic vein follows a similar path but is located medially to the cephalic vein.
  • At the shoulder, the basilic vein passes deep into the arm and merges with the brachial veins to form the axillary vein, to which the cephaliac vein merges, forming the subclavian vein.
  • The deep veins are shown in blue.

• Great Vessels of the Heart

  • The right and left subclavian veins, jugular veins, and thyroid veins feed into the superior vena cava.
  • The subclavian veins are significant because the thoracic lymphatic duct drains lymph fluid into the subclavian veins, making the superior vena cava a site of lymph fluid recirculation into the plasma.
  • Along the way up the body from the iliac veins, the renal and suprarenal veins (kidney and adrenal glands), lumbar veins (from the back), and hepatic veins (from the liver) all drain into the inferior vena cava.
  • The arch of aorta is the peak of the aorta, which breaks off into the left carotid artery, brachiocephalic trunk, and the left subclavian artery.
  • Four pulmonary veins enter the left atrium.

• Distribution of Lymphatic Vessels

  • The efferent lymph vessels in the left and lower side of the body drain into the left subclavian vein through the thoracic duct, while the efferent lymph vessels of the right side of the body drain into the right subclavian vein through the right lymphatic duct.

• Lymphatic Tissue Development

  • Lymphatic vessels develop from lymph sacs that arise from developing veins, which are derived from mesoderm.
  • The first lymph sacs to appear are the paired jugular lymph sacs at the junction of the internal jugular and subclavian veins.
  • It develops from the primitive vena cava and mesonephric veins.
  • The last of the lymph sacs, the paired posterior lymph sacs, develop from the iliac veins.
  • The posterior lymph sacs join the cisterna chyli and lose their connections with adjacent veins.

• Structure of the Lymphatic System

  • In general, the lymph vessels bring lymph fluid toward the heart and above it to the subclavian veins, which enable lymph fluid to re-enter the circulatory system through the vena cava.

• Principal Veins

  • Deep veins are often of larger caliber than superficial veins and carry the majority of the blood within the circulatory system.
  • Communicating veins, or perforator veins if they pass through a large muscle mass, directly connect superficial and direct veins.
  • The venae cavae are the veins with the largest diameter.
  • The superior vena cava is formed from the brachiocephalic veins which are in turn formed from the subclavian and internal jugular veins that serve the arm and head respectively.
  • There are four pulmonary veins, two from each lung, each of which forms from three to four bronchial veins.

• Lymphoid Tissue

  • Lymphatic vessels develop from lymph sacs that arise from developing veins, which are derived from mesoderm, the inner tissue layer of the embryo.
  • This process begins with he lymph nodes closest to the thoracic and right lymph ducts, which arises from immature subclavian-jugular vein junction.
  • The lymph nodes organized around other lymph trunks, such as those in the abdomen and intestine, develop afterwards from nearby veins.

• Veins of the Lower Limbs

  • The posterior and anterior tibial veins return blood from the calf, ankle, and foot and merge into the popliteal vein behind the knee.
  • The popliteal vein then carries blood from the knee joint up through the thigh.
  • The femoral vein merges with the great saphenous vein in the groin to form the external iliac vein.
  • Running the full length of the leg, making it the longest vein in the body, the great saphenous vein is a superficial vein that returns blood from the foot and superficial muscles of the leg before merging with the femoral vein to form the external iliac vein.
  • Outline the flow of blood in the veins of the lower limbs