Pulmonary veins

Vein: Pulmonary veins
Anterior (frontal) view of the opened heart. White arrows indicate normal blood flow.
Diagram of the alveoli with both cross-section and external view.
Latin	venae pulmonales
Gray's	subject #165 642
Drains from	lungs
Drains to	left atrium
Artery	pulmonary artery
Precursor	truncus arteriosus
MeSH	Pulmonary+Veins
Dorlands / Elsevier	v_05/12851530

WikiDoc Resources for Pulmonary veins
Articles
Most recent articles on Pulmonary veins Most cited articles on Pulmonary veins Review articles on Pulmonary veins Articles on Pulmonary veins in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ
Media
Powerpoint slides on Pulmonary veins Images of Pulmonary veins Photos of Pulmonary veins Podcasts & MP3s on Pulmonary veins Videos on Pulmonary veins
Evidence Based Medicine
Cochrane Collaboration on Pulmonary veins Bandolier on Pulmonary veins TRIP on Pulmonary veins
Clinical Trials
Ongoing Trials on Pulmonary veins at Clinical Trials.gov Trial results on Pulmonary veins Clinical Trials on Pulmonary veins at Google
Guidelines / Policies / Govt
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Pulmonary veins NICE Guidance on Pulmonary veins NHS PRODIGY Guidance FDA on Pulmonary veins CDC on Pulmonary veins
Books
Books on Pulmonary veins
News
Pulmonary veins in the news Be alerted to news on Pulmonary veins News trends on Pulmonary veins
Commentary
Blogs on Pulmonary veins
Definitions
Definitions of Pulmonary veins
Patient Resources / Community
Patient resources on Pulmonary veins Discussion groups on Pulmonary veins Patient Handouts on Pulmonary veins Directions to Hospitals Treating Pulmonary veins Risk calculators and risk factors for Pulmonary veins
Healthcare Provider Resources
Symptoms of Pulmonary veins Causes & Risk Factors for Pulmonary veins Diagnostic studies for Pulmonary veins Treatment of Pulmonary veins
Continuing Medical Education (CME)
CME Programs on Pulmonary veins
International
Pulmonary veins en Espanol Pulmonary veins en Francais
Business
Pulmonary veins in the Marketplace Patents on Pulmonary veins
Experimental / Informatics
List of terms related to Pulmonary veins

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Overview

The pulmonary veins carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart. They are the only veins in the post-fetal human body that carry oxygenated (red) blood.

The pulmonary veins return the oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart.

Types

They are four in number, two from each lung, and are destitute of valves. They are

• right inferior
• right superior
• left inferior
• left superior

Path

They commence in a capillary net-work upon the walls of the air sacs, where they are continuous with the capillary ramifications of the pulmonary artery, and, joining together, form one vessel for each lobule.

These vessels uniting successively, form a single trunk for each lobe, three for the right, and two for the left lung.

The vein from the middle lobe of the right lung generally unites with that from the upper lobe, so that ultimately two trunks from each lung are formed; they perforate the fibrous layer of the pericardium and open separately into the upper and back part of the left atrium.

Occasionally the three veins on the right side remain separate.

Not infrequently the two left pulmonary veins end by a common opening.

At the root of the lung, the superior pulmonary vein lies in front of and a little below the pulmonary artery; the inferior is situated at the lowest part of the hilus of the lung and on a plane posterior to the upper vein. Behind the pulmonary artery is the bronchus.

Within the pericardium, their anterior surfaces are invested by the serous layer of this membrane.

The right pulmonary veins pass behind the right atrium and superior vena cava; the left in front of the descending thoracic aorta.

Additional images

• 

  Bronchial anatomy

• 

  Bronchi, bronchial tree, and lungs

• 

  Pulmonary circuit

• 

  Heart seen from above.

• 

  Transverse section of thorax, showing relations of pulmonary artery.

• 

  Pulmonary vessels, seen in a dorsal view of the heart and lungs.

• 

  Base and diaphragmatic surface of heart.

• 

  The position and relation of the esophagus in the cervical region and in the posterior mediastinum. Seen from behind.

External links

• SUNY Figs 19:05-08
• Illustration at infomat.net

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.

Cost Effectiveness of Pulmonary veins

| group5 = Clinical Trials Involving Pulmonary veins | list5 = Ongoing Trials on Pulmonary veins at Clinical Trials.gov • Trial results on Pulmonary veins • Clinical Trials on Pulmonary veins at Google

| group6 = Guidelines / Policies / Government Resources (FDA/CDC) Regarding Pulmonary veins | list6 = US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Pulmonary veins • NICE Guidance on Pulmonary veins • NHS PRODIGY Guidance • FDA on Pulmonary veins • CDC on Pulmonary veins

| group7 = Textbook Information on Pulmonary veins | list7 = Books and Textbook Information on Pulmonary veins

| group8 = Pharmacology Resources on Pulmonary veins | list8 = AND (Dose)}} Dosing of Pulmonary veins • AND (drug interactions)}} Drug interactions with Pulmonary veins • AND (side effects)}} Side effects of Pulmonary veins • AND (Allergy)}} Allergic reactions to Pulmonary veins • AND (overdose)}} Overdose information on Pulmonary veins • AND (carcinogenicity)}} Carcinogenicity information on Pulmonary veins • AND (pregnancy)}} Pulmonary veins in pregnancy • AND (pharmacokinetics)}} Pharmacokinetics of Pulmonary veins •

| group9 = Genetics, Pharmacogenomics, and Proteinomics of Pulmonary veins | list9 = AND (pharmacogenomics)}} Genetics of Pulmonary veins • AND (pharmacogenomics)}} Pharmacogenomics of Pulmonary veins • AND (proteomics)}} Proteomics of Pulmonary veins

| group10 = Newstories on Pulmonary veins | list10 = Pulmonary veins in the news • Be alerted to news on Pulmonary veins • News trends on Pulmonary veins</small>

| group11 = Commentary on Pulmonary veins | list11 = Blogs on Pulmonary veins

| group12 = Patient Resources on Pulmonary veins | list12 = Patient resources on Pulmonary veins • Discussion groups on Pulmonary veins • Patient Handouts on Pulmonary veins • Directions to Hospitals Treating Pulmonary veins • Risk calculators and risk factors for Pulmonary veins

| group13 = Healthcare Provider Resources on Pulmonary veins | list13 = Symptoms of Pulmonary veins • Causes & Risk Factors for Pulmonary veins • Diagnostic studies for Pulmonary veins • Treatment of Pulmonary veins

| group14 = Continuing Medical Education (CME) Programs on Pulmonary veins | list14 = CME Programs on Pulmonary veins

| group15 = International Resources on Pulmonary veins | list15 = Pulmonary veins en Espanol • Pulmonary veins en Francais

| group16 = Business Resources on Pulmonary veins | list16 = Pulmonary veins in the Marketplace • Patents on Pulmonary veins

| group17 = Informatics Resources on Pulmonary veins | list17 = List of terms related to Pulmonary veins

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