Intervertebral veins

Vein: Intervertebral veins
Transverse section of a thoracic vertebra, showing the vertebral venous plexuses.
Median sagittal section of two thoracic vertebrae, showing the vertebral venous plexuses.
Latin	vena intervertebralis
Gray's	subject #172 669
Dorlands / Elsevier	v_05/12850732

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

The intervertebral veins accompany the spinal nerves through the intervertebral foramina; they receive the veins from the medulla spinalis, drain the internal and external vertebral plexuses.

Their drainage depends upon the part of the body:

• neck: vertebral vein
• thorax: intercostal veins
• lumbar region: lumbar veins
• sacral region: lateral sacral veins

Their orifices are provided with valves.

External links

• Intervertebral+vein at eMedicine Dictionary

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.