Thoracic duct
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| Lymph: Thoracic duct | ||
|---|---|---|
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| The thoracic and right lymphatic ducts. (Thoracic duct is thin vertical white line at center.) | ||
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| Modes of origin of thoracic duct. a. Thoracic duct. a’. Cisterna chyli. b, c’ Efferent trunks from lateral aortic glands. d. An efferent vessel which pierces the left crus of the diaphragm. e. f. Lateral aortic glands. h. Retroaortic glands. i. Intestinal trunk. j. Descending branch from intercostal lymphatics. | ||
| Latin | ductus thoracicus | |
| Gray's | subject #176 690 | |
| Source | cisterna chyli | |
| Drains to | junction of the left subclavian vein and left internal jugular vein | |
| MeSH | Thoracic+Duct | |
| Dorlands/Elsevier | d_29/12315137 | |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Phone:617-525-6884
Please Take Over This Page and Apply to be Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [2] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch. In human anatomy, the thoracic duct is an important part of the lymphatic system—it is the largest lymphatic vessel in the body.
It collects most of the lymph in the body (except that from the right arm and the right side of the chest, neck and head, which is collected by the right lymphatic duct) and drains into the systemic (blood) circulation at the left subclavian vein.
Location and direction of flow
In adults, the thoracic duct is typically 38-45cm in length and an average diameter of about 5mm. It usually starts from the level of the second lumbar vertebra and extends to the root of the neck.
It originates in the abdomen from the confluence of the right and left lumbar trunk and the intestinal trunk, forming a significant pathway upward called the cisterna chyli.
It extends vertically in the chest and curves posteriorly to the left carotid artery and left jugular vein at the C7 vertebral level to empty into the junction of the left subclavian vein and left jugular vein, below the clavicle, near the shoulders.
It traverses the diaphragm at the aortic aperture and ascends the posterior mediastinum between the descending thoracic aorta (to its left) and the azygos vein (to its right).
Volume, mechanism, and direction of flow
In adults, the thoracic duct transports up to 4 L of lymph per day.
The lymph transport in the thoracic duct is mainly caused by the action of breathing, aided by the duct's smooth muscle and by internal one way valves which prevent the lymph from flowing back down again.
There are also two valves at the junction of the duct with the left subclavian vein, to prevent the flow of venous blood into the duct.
Clinical significance
When the thoracic duct is blocked or damaged a large amount of lymph can quickly accumulate in the pleural cavity, this situation is called chylothorax.
The first sign of a malignancy (especially an intraabdominal one) may be an enlarged Virchow's node, a lymph node in the left supraclavicular area, in the vicinity where the thoracic duct empties into the left subclavian vein.
Nomenclature
It is also known under various other names including the alimentary duct, chyliferous duct, duct of Pecquet, the left lymphatic duct and Van Hoorne's canal. [1]
Additional images
 Transverse section of thorax, showing relations of pulmonary artery. |
 The arch of the aorta, and its branches. |
 Deep lymph nodes and vessels of the thorax and abdomen (diagrammatic). |
 The position and relation of the esophagus in the cervical region and in the posterior mediastinum. Seen from behind. |
See also
References
External links
- Anatomy at MUN thorax/lymph
- SUNY Figs 21:05-02 - "The thoracic duct and azygos venous network."
- SUNY Anatomy Image 8901
- Human anatomy at Dartmouth figures/chapter_24/24-5.HTM
- Diagram at anatomyatlases.org
Lymphatics of torso | |
|---|---|
| Chest | Right lymphatic duct - Thoracic duct (spans diaphragm) Bronchomediastinal trunk (Tracheobronchial, Parasternal) - Intercostal |
| Abdomen | Cisterna chyli
Lumbar trunk - lumbar/paraaortic: Retroaortic - Lateral aortic - iliac: Common (External, Internal, Sacral) Intestinal trunk - preaortic: Celiac (Gastric, Hepatic, Splenic) - Superior mesenteric (Mesenteric, Ileocolic, Mesocolic) - Inferior mesenteric (Pararectal) |
fr:Canal thoracique it:Dotto toracico nl:Ductus thoracicus
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
