Lecture 6 - Veins

Question 1

What are 6 general features of veins

Answer 1

1. Deoxygenated blood, low pressure
2. 80% of body’s blood
3. Thin walled
4. Assisted venous return
5. Many anastomoses
6. Extensive vasa vasorum

Question 2

What are types of assisted venous return (4) and (3)

Answer 2

Gravity
Muscle in vein walls
External pressure from:
-contraction of adjacent viscera
-movement adjacent viscera
-suction e.g. blood pulled into thorax during inspiration
Valves

Question 3

What is the relationship to a large artery

Medium to small artery

Answer 3

1 x accompanying vein

2 x accompanying veins (venae comitantes)

Question 4

What are the tributaries of the SVC (2 types)

Answer 4

Left and right brachiocephalic veins

Azygous vein

Question 5

What are the brachiocephalic veins formed by

Answer 5

Union of internal jugular and subclavian veins

Question 6

What do the internal thoracic veins empty into

Answer 6

Brachiocephalic veins

Question 7

What are the tributaries of the IVC

Answer 7

Hepatic veins (3 large and several small veins from the liver)
1-2 inferior phrenic veins per side from diaphragm
Right suprarenal vein
Left and right renal veins
Right gonadal from right ovary or testes
Several lumbar veins per side from lumbar muscles and skin
2 common iliac veins and tributaries

Question 8

What does the left renal vein often receive blood from

Answer 8

Left suprarenal

Left gonadal

Question 9

What do the left inferior phrenic veins often drain into

Answer 9

Left renal

Question 10

Are variations in the vein pattern common

Answer 10

Yes

Question 11

What veins accompany epigastric arteries

Answer 11

Superior and inferior epigastric veins

Question 12

What do the superior epigastric veins drain into?

Answer 12

Internal thoracic vein

Question 13

What do the inferior epigastric veins drain into

Answer 13

External iliac vein

Question 14

Superior and inferior epigastric veins anastamose with?

Answer 14

Paraumbilical veins

Question 15

What are the gut and associated structures divided by?

Answer 15

Blood supply

Question 16

What is the foregut supply? Drainage

Answer 16

Coeliac trunk

Splenic vein

Question 17

What is the midgut supply? Drainage

Answer 17

SMA

SMV

Question 18

What is the hindgut supply?

Answer 18

IMA

IMV

Question 19

What do the ascending lumbar veins arise from?

Answer 19

Common iliac veins (may also have connections with IVC or renal veins)

Question 20

What does the right ascending lumbar become after passing through the diaphragm

Answer 20

Azygos

Question 21

What does the left ascending lumbar become after passing the diaphragm

Answer 21

Hemiazygos (variable)

Question 22

What do the azygos veins do? (2)

Answer 22

Drain posterior abdominal and thoracic walls (posterior intercostal veins)
Additional or alternative venous return to IVC

Question 23

What does the azygos terminate on

Answer 23

SVC

Question 24

Where does the hemiazygos anastamose with the azygos

Answer 24

Cross vertebral column at 8th intercostal space to anastamose with azygos

Question 25

Where does the accessory hemiazygos on the left arise from

Answer 25

Upper posterior intercostals or brachiocephalic vein. Descends to anastamose with hemiazygos

Question 26

Where do the brachiocephalic veins become the SVC

Answer 26

Behind the right first costal cartilage

Question 27

At what level does the azygos terminate on the SVC

Answer 27

Sternal angle

Question 28

Where is the confluence of superior mesenteric and splenic veins

Answer 28

Transpyloric plane

Question 29

Where do the common iliac veins join to form the inferior vena cava

Answer 29

Level of L5