Esophageal veins
Esophageal Veins
Esophageal veins (pronunciation: ih-sof-uh-geel vayns) are a group of veins that drain the esophagus into the azygos vein and hemiazygos vein. They play a crucial role in the circulatory system, particularly in the process of carrying deoxygenated blood from the esophagus back to the heart.
Etymology
The term "esophageal veins" is derived from the Latin word "oesophagus," which means gullet, and the Latin word "vena," which means vein.
Anatomy
The esophageal veins are located in the esophagus, a muscular tube connecting the throat (pharynx) with the stomach. These veins are part of the venous system, which is responsible for carrying deoxygenated blood back to the heart.
The esophageal veins drain into the azygos vein and hemiazygos vein, which are part of the azygos system. This system is an important part of the body's circulatory system, as it provides an alternative pathway for blood to return to the heart if the inferior vena cava or superior vena cava are blocked.
Related Terms
- Esophagus: The muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach.
- Azygos vein: A vein running up the right side of the thoracic vertebral column draining itself towards the superior vena cava.
- Hemiazygos vein: A vein running up the left side of the thoracic vertebral column essentially parallel to the azygos vein.
- Venous system: The part of the circulatory system that returns deoxygenated blood back to the heart.
- Inferior vena cava: The large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower half of the body back to the heart.
- Superior vena cava: The large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the upper half of the body back to the heart.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Esophageal veins
- Wikipedia's article - Esophageal veins
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