Venous drainage of the abdomen

Question 1

what are the 2 venous systems that drain abdominal structures?

Answer 1

the portal venous system and the systemic venous system

Question 2

what does the portal system transport and where to?

Answer 2

transports venous blood to the liver for processing

Question 3

what does the systemic venous system transport and to where?

Answer 3

returns deoxygenated blood to the right atrium of the heart

Question 4

what is the major vessel of the systemic venous system?

Answer 4

inferior vena cava

Question 5

what is the inferior vena cava the common convergence for?

Answer 5

the common convergence of venous drainage from all structures below the diaphragm

Question 6

where is the inferior vena cava located?

Answer 6

on the posterior abdominal wall; anteriorly to the vertebral column and to the right of the abdominal aorta

Question 7

what is the inferior vena cava formed by?

Answer 7

formed by the union of the common iliac veins at the L5 vertebral level

Question 8

where does the inferior vena cava travel after the union of common iliac veins at L5?

Answer 8

Its ascends superiorly, and leaves the abdomen by piercing the central tendon of the diaphragm at the T8 level (the caval hiatus)

Question 9

within the thorax, where does the inferior vena cava drain?

Answer 9

the inferior vena cava drains into the right atrium of the heart

Question 10

During its long course, the inferior vena cava shares an anatomical relationship with numerous abdominal structures - what are they?

Answer 10

the right common iliac artery, the root of the mesentery, the head of the pancreas, the bile duct, the portal vein and the liver

Question 11

The inferior vena cava is responsible for the venous drainage of what?

Answer 11

all structures below the diaphragm

Question 12

where does inferior vena cava receives tributaries from?

Answer 12

common iliac veins
lumbar veins
renal veins
right testicular / ovarian vein
right suprarenal vein
inferior phrenic veins
hepatic veins

Question 13

what is common iliac veins formed by?

Answer 13

the external and internal iliac veins

Question 14

what do the common iliac veins drain?

Answer 14

lower limbs and gluteal region

Question 15

what do lumbar veins drain?

Answer 15

the posterior abdominal wall

Question 16

what do renal veins drain?

Answer 16

the kidneys, left adrenal gland and left testis/ovary

Question 17

what does the right testicular vein drain?

Answer 17

drain the right testes in men and women

Question 18

what does the right ovarian vein drain?

Answer 18

right ovary in women

Question 19

what do the left testicular / ovarian vein drain into?

Answer 19

left renal vein

Question 20

what does the right suprarenal vein drain?

Answer 20

the right adrenal gland

Question 21

what does the left adrenal vein drain into?

Answer 21

left renal vein

Question 22

what do inferior phrenic veins drain?

Answer 22

drain the diaphragm

Question 23

what do the hepatic veins drain?

Answer 23

the liver

Question 24

which organs do not have venous tributaries?

Answer 24

the spleen, pancreas, gallbladder or the abdominal part of the GI tract

Question 25

what drains the spleen, pancreas, gallbladder or the abdominal part of the GI tract?

Answer 25

first drained into the portal venous system

Question 26

where does the venous return from the spleen, pancreas, gallbladder or abdo part of GI ultimately enter? what via?

Answer 26

the inferior vena cava via the hepatic veins (after being processed by the liver)

Question 27

what does the portal system carry? and where to for what?

Answer 27

venous blood (rich in nutrients that have been extracted from food) to the liver for processing

Question 28

what is the major vessel of the portal system?

Answer 28

the portal vein

Question 29

what is the importance of the portal vein within the portal system?

Answer 29

It is the point of convergence for the venous drainage of the spleen, pancreas, gallbladder and the abdominal part of the gastrointestinal tract

Question 30

what is the portal vein formed by?

Answer 30

the union of the splenic vein and the superior mesenteric vein

Question 31

where is the portal vein found?

Answer 31

posterior to the neck of the pancreas, at the level of L2

Question 32

what does the portal vein ascend towards?

Answer 32

ascends towards the liver

Question 33

what does the portal vein pass through as it ascends towards the liver?

Answer 33

the portal vein passes posteriorly to the superior part of the duodenum and the bile duct

Question 34

immediately before entering the liver, what happens to the portal vein?

Answer 34

the portal vein divides into right and left branches which then enter the parenchyma of the liver separately

Question 35

what is the portal vein formed by?

Answer 35

The portal vein is formed by the union of the splenic vein and superior mesenteric vein. It receives additional tributaries from

Question 36

what does the portal vein receives additional tributaries from?

Answer 36

Right and left gastric veins Cystic veins Para-umbilical veins

Question 37

what do the right and left gastric veins drain?

Answer 37

drain the stomach

Question 38

what do the cystic veins drain?

Answer 38

the gallbladder

Question 39

what do the para-umbilical veins drain?

Answer 39

skin of the umbilical region

Question 40

what is the splenic vein formed from?

Answer 40

a variety of smaller vessels as they leave the hilum of the spleen

Question 41

how is the splenic vein like and what does it maintain contact with and where does it cross?

Answer 41

Unlike the splenic artery, the splenic vein is straight and it maintains contact with the body of the pancreas as it crosses the posterior abdominal wall

Question 42

what happens as the splenic vein reaches the neck of the pancreas?

Answer 42

the splenic vein joins the superior mesenteric vein to form the portal vein

Question 43

what are the tributaries to the splenic vein?

Answer 43

Short gastric veins Left gastro-omental vein Pancreatic veins Inferior mesenteric vein

Question 44

what do the short gastric veins drain?

Answer 44

the fundus of the stomach

Question 45

what does the left gastro-omental vein drain?

Answer 45

the greater curvature of the stomach

Question 46

what do the pancreatic veins drain?

Answer 46

the pancreas

Question 47

what does the inferior mesenteric vein drain?

Answer 47

the large intestine

Question 48

what does the inferior mesenteric vein drain?

Answer 48

drains blood from the rectum, sigmoid colon, descending colon and splenic flexure

Question 49

what does the inferior mesenteric vein begin as, where does it travel to?

Answer 49

the superior rectal vein and ascends

Question 50

what does the inferior mesenteric vein receive tributaries from?

Answer 50

sigmoid veins and the left colic veins

Question 51

what happens as the inferior mesenteric vein ascends further? what does it join with?

Answer 51

it passes posteriorly to the body of the pancreas and typically joins the splenic vein

Question 52

what are tributaries to the superior mesenteric vein?

Answer 52

``` Right gastro-omental vein Anterior and posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal veins Jejunal vein Ileal vein Ileocolic vein Right colic vein Middle colic vein ```

Question 53

what does the right gastro-omental vein drain?

Answer 53

the greater curvature of the stomach

Question 54

what do the anterior and posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal veins drain?

Answer 54

the pancreas and duodenum

Question 55

what does the jejunal vein drain?

Answer 55

jejunum

Question 56

what does the ileal vein drain?

Answer 56

the ileum

Question 57

what does the ileocolic vein drain?

Answer 57

ileum, colon, cecum

Question 58

what does the right colic vein drain?

Answer 58

ascending colon

Question 59

what does the middle colic vein drain?

Answer 59

transverse colon

Question 60

what are many of the tributaries formed as?

Answer 60

an accompanying vein for each branch of the superior mesenteric artery