internal thoracic vein
{{Use American English|date = January 2019}}
{{Short description|Large blood vessel draining breasts and the chest wall}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = January 2019}}
{{Infobox vein
| Name = Internal thoracic vein
| Latin = vena thoracica interna
| Image = Gray577.png
| Caption = Veins of the thorax and abdomen. The internal thoracic veins drain into the brachiocephalic veins.]
| Image2 = Gray390.png
| Caption2 = Posterior surface of sternum and costal cartilages, showing Transversus thoracis. (Internal mammary vessels labeled at center top.)
| DrainsFrom = Superior epigastric vein
| DrainsTo = Brachiocephalic vein
| Artery = Internal thoracic artery
}}
In human anatomy, the internal thoracic vein (previously known as the internal mammary vein) is the vein that drains the chest wall and breasts.{{Cite book|last=Drake |first=Richard L. |title=Gray's anatomy for students|date=2005|publisher=Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone |last2=Vogl |first2=Wayne |last3=Mitchell |first3=Adam W. M. |last4=Gray |first4=Henry |isbn=0-443-06612-4 |location=Philadelphia|oclc=55139039}}
Structure
Bilaterally, the internal thoracic vein arises from the superior epigastric vein, and accompanies the internal thoracic artery along its course. It drains the intercostal veins, although the posterior drainage is often handled by the azygous veins. It terminates in the brachiocephalic vein.{{Citation|last1=Mozes|first1=GEZA|last2=Gloviczki |first2=PETER|title=CHAPTER 2 - Venous Embryology and Anatomy|year=2007|work=The Vein Book|pages=15–25 |editor-last=Bergan|editor-first=John J.|place=Burlington|publisher=Academic Press|doi=10.1016/b978-012369515-4/50005-3|isbn=978-0-12-369515-4}} It has a width of 2-3 mm.{{Citation|last1=Stewart|first1=Charles E.|title=CHAPTER 18 - Deltopectoral flap|year=2009|work=Flaps and Reconstructive Surgery|pages=193–205|editor-last=Wei|editor-first=Fu-Chan|place=Edinburgh |publisher=W.B. Saunders|doi=10.1016/b978-0-7216-0519-7.00018-6|isbn=978-0-7216-0519-7|last2=Urken|first2=Mark L. |editor2-last=Mardini|editor2-first=Samir}}
There is either one or two internal thoracic veins accompanying the corresponding artery (internal thoracic artery). If internal thoracic vein is single, it usually runs medial to the artery. If there are double thoracic veins, they run on either side of the internal thoracic artery.{{cite journal |vauthors=Jelicić N, Djordjević L, Stosić T |title=Unutrasnji grudni krvni sudovi (a. et vv. thoracicae internae) i njihov prakticni znacaj |language=sr |trans-title=The internal thoracic blood vessels (internal thoracic arteries and veins) and their practical significance |journal=Srpski Arhiv Za Celokupno Lekarstvo |volume=124 |issue=3-4 |pages=58–61 |date=1996 |pmid=9102819 |doi= }}
= Variations =
Bifurcation of each internal thoracic vein is common. The left internal thoracic vein may bifurcate between ribs 3-4 or remain as a single vein.{{cite journal |vauthors=Singh G, Jayadev Magani SK, Sharma R, Bhat B, Shrivastava A, Chinthakindi M, Singh A |date=2019 |title=Structural, functional and molecular dynamics analysis of cathepsin B gene SNPs associated with tropical calcific pancreatitis, a rare disease of tropics |journal=PeerJ |volume=7 |at=e7425 |doi=10.7717/peerj.7425 |doi-access=free |pmid=31592339|pmc=6778667 }} {{Cite journal|title=Table 1: The Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in cathepsin B protein mined from literature (PMID: 16492714) |journal=PeerJ |doi=10.7717/peerj.7425/table-1 |doi-access=free}} The right internal thoracic vein may bifurcate between ribs 2-4 or remain as a single vein.
Function
The internal thoracic vein drains the chest wall and the breasts.
Clinical significance
Knowledge on the course of internal thoracic vein and artery is important during interventional procedures through the anterior chest wall such as biopsy and empyema drainage. This is to avoid puncturing the vessels and cause massive bleeding.{{Cite journal |last=Vollala |first=Venkata Ramana |last2=Pamidi |first2=Narendra |last3=Potu |first3=Bhagath Kumar |date=March 2008 |title=Internal thoracic vein draining into the extrapericardial part of the superior vena cava: a case report |url=http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1677-54492008000100015&lng=en&tlng=en |journal=Jornal Vascular Brasileiro |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=80–83 |doi=10.1590/S1677-54492008000100015 |issn=1677-5449|doi-access=free }}
Accidental placement of central venous catheter in the internal thoracic vein can cause pleural effusions, chest wall abscess, pulmonary edema, shortness of breath and chest pain.
Other animals
Internal thoracic vein runs just lateral to the sternum.{{Cite journal|last1=Ricciardi|first1=Mario|last2=Casali|first2=Alice|date=September 2020|title=Internal thoracic veins: Anatomy, plasticity and clinico-imaging relevance in small animal practice|journal=The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science|volume=82|issue=9|pages=1358–1365|doi=10.1292/jvms.20-0064|issn=0916-7250|pmc=7538324|pmid=32713890}}
The internal thoracic vein can act as a collateral circulation for blood from the inferior vena cava to the superior vena cava. This can work in either direction. It may partially compensate for disturbances to blood flow.
Additional images
File:Gray503.png|Transverse section of thorax, showing relations of pulmonary artery.
References
External links
- [http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/internal+thoracic+vein Internal thoracic vein] - thefreedictionary.com
{{Veins of the thorax and vertebral column}}
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