the azygos vein drains what part of the body
thorax abdomen
title: Azygos vein text: displaced laterally, thereby creating a pleural septum separating an azygos lobe from the upper lobe of the right lung. The anatomy of this blood vessel can be quite variable. In some rare variations for example, it also drains thoracic veins, bronchial veins and even gonadal veins. The vein is so named because it has no symmetrically equivalent vein on the left side of the body. The azygos system is considered to be the azygos vein located from rib number 2 to rib number 4 while the left part of the body has the hemiazygos vein and the accessory hemiazygos vein title: Hemiazygos vein text: Hemiazygos vein The hemiazygos vein (vena azygos minor inferior) is a vein running superiorly in the lower thoracic region, just to the left side of the vertebral column. The hemiazygos vein and the accessory hemiazygos vein, when taken together, essentially serve as the left-sided equivalent of the azygos vein. That is, the azygos vein serves to drain most of the posterior intercostal veins on the right side of the body, and the hemiazygos vein and the accessory hemiazygos vein drain most of the posterior intercostal veins on the left side of the body. Specifically, the hemiazygos vein mirrors the bottom title: Superior intercostal vein text: arch, it crosses deep to the phrenic nerve and the pericardiacophrenic vessels and then superficial to the vagus nerve. Superior intercostal vein The superior intercostal veins are two veins that drain the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th intercostal spaces, one vein for each side of the body. The right superior intercostal vein drains the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th posterior intercostal veins on the right side of the body. It flows into the azygos vein. The left superior intercostal vein drains the 2nd and 3rd posterior intercostal veins on the left side of the body. It drains into the azygos vein or title: Azygos vein text: its left-side equivalent. This terminology is only accurate in some species, such as the human, dog and cat. Ruminants (such as sheep and cows) have paired azygos veins. Azygos vein The azygos vein is a vein running up the side of the thoracic vertebral column draining itself towards the superior vena cava. It connects the systems of superior vena cava and inferior vena cava and can provide an alternative path for blood to the right atrium when either of the venae cavae is blocked. The azygos vein transports deoxygenated blood from the posterior walls of the thorax and abdomen into title: Azygos vein text: as the venous system. A major tributary is the hemiazygos vein, a similar structure on the opposite side of the vertebral column. Other tributaries include the bronchial veins, pericardial veins, and posterior right intercostal veins. It communicates with the vertebrael venous plexuses. The origin and anatomical course of the azygos vein are quite variable. Usually, there is a singular azygos vein on the right side of the body. However, the azygos vein is occasionally located in the midline or two independent veins may be present like in early embryonic development. The azygos vein generally begins at the level of the