Thoracic Duct Anatomy

The thoracic duct is the largest lymphatic vessel within the human body and plays a key role in the lymphatic system. The other duct is the right lymphatic duct.

Laceration of the thoracic duct during lung surgery results in chyle entering into the pleural cavity producing a clinical condition named chylothorax.

Thoracic duct anatomy. Anatomy of the thoracic duct the usual course of the thoracic duct is illustrated in figure 66 1. It is approximately 40 cm in length in adults and approximately 5 mm in width at its abdominal origin. From about the level of the small of the back it runs up through the body close in front of the backbone to the base of the neck where it opens into a blood vessel at the point at which the left subclavian vein and the left internal jugular vein join to form the left brachiocephalic vein.

The thoracic duct is thin walled and might be colorless for that reason its sometimes injured inadvertently during surgical procedures in the posterior mediastinum. The thoracic duct has variant anatomy in 40 range 30 50 of the population 1 4. Multiple ducts 20 1 2 4.

Gross anatomy of thoracic duct in abdomen. Double thoracic ducts ie. Thoracic duct anatomy overview.

The thoracic duct also known as van hoornes canal is the largest lymphatic vessel of the lymphatic system of the body. Left internal jugular vein left external jugular vein azygos vein brachiocephalic vein or left subclavian vein 1 4. The thoracic duct begins in the abdomen by a triangular dilatation the cisterna chyli in front of l2 vertebral body.

The structure of the thoracic duct is considered to be similar to that. A large portion of the bodys lymph is collected by this duct and then drained into the bloodstream near the brachiocephalic vein between. The thoracic duct extends from the twelfth thoracic vertebra to the root of the neck.

It is also known as the left lymphatic duct alimentary duct chyliferous duct and van hoornes canal. It length varies between 38 45 cm and it is 2 3 mm in diameter. Thoracic duct in mammalian anatomy a principal channel for lymph.

The thoracic duct is a tubular structure that is 2 3 mm in diameter. It is also called the left lymphatic duct or the alimentary duct. The thoracic duct is the common channel draining lymphatic fluid from the body to the venous system with the exception of the right face and neck right arm right thorax and lung and convex surface of the liver.

Thoracic duct anatomy must be understood in the context of its embryology. The thoracic duct carries chyle a liquid containing both lymph and emulsified fats rather than pure lymph. The thoracic duct is a tubular structure that extends from l2 vertebra to the root of the neck.

In human anatomy the thoracic duct is the larger of the two lymph ducts of the lymphatic system.

The Lymphatic Vessels Of The Thorax Human Anatomy