Vessels of Posterior Ab Wall

Question 0

What are the major veins of the posterior abdominal wall?

Answer 0

All drain into IVC
*exceptions: left gonadal, left inferior phrenic, and left suprarenal drain into left renal vein, ascending lumbar and subcostal veins drain into azygous system
IVC forms at L5 behind right common iliac artery, joining of common iliac veins
Passes through vena caval sulcus in liver and enters thorax through vena caval foramen of diaphragm

Question 1

What are the major arteries of the posterior abdominal wall?

Answer 1

Abdominal aorta-begins at T12 and ends at L4 where it divides into common iliac arteries (right and left)
Ventral Branches: celiac trunk (unpaired), superior and inferior mesenteric arteries (unpaired)
Dorsal Branches: lumbar artery, median sacral artery (unpaired)
Lateral Branches: inferior phrenic artery, middle suprarenal artery, renal artery, ovarian/testicular artery

Question 2

Lymph drainage of posterior abdominal wall

Answer 2

Nodes lie along aorta and IVC
Right and Left Lumbar Nodes: drain lymph from posterior abdominal wall, kidneys, ureters, gonads, uterus, uterine tubes, descending colon, pelvis and lower limbs–>lymph then drains into cisterna chyli–>thoracic duct
Preaortic nodes: drain lymph from rest of GIT, liver, spleen and pancreas–>intestinal trunk–>cisterna chyli–>thoracic duct