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A bifid inferior portion of the thoracic duct (due to a failure of fusion during embryonic development) is not uncommonly observed; a plexus of lymphatic vessels replacing the thoracic duct inferiorly and only coalescing into a single duct in the mediastinum may also occur. Rarely, the thoracic duct
484:
In a vast majority of cases, the thoracic duct terminates on the left side, but may rarely terminate on the right side of the body, or bilaterally. It usually terminates as a single vessel, but it sometimes ends in bilateral vessels or as several terminal branches. Rarely, the thoracic duct
31:
520:
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. In adults, the thoracic duct transports up to 4 L of lymph per day.
353:(to its right), and is situated posterior to the esophagus at the T7 vertebral level. It crosses the midline to the left side at about the T5 level, continuing to ascend. It then passes posterior to the aorta, and to the left of the oesophagus.
279:
In adults, the thoracic duct is typically 38–45 cm in length and has an average diameter of about 5 mm. The vessel usually commences at the level of the twelfth thoracic vertebra (T12) and extends to the root of the
611:
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The thoracic duct becomes adaptively dilated in the presence of certain pathological conditions (congestive heart failure, portal hypertension, and malignancy).
157:
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In the superior mediastinum, the thoracic duct is situated posterior to and to the left of the esophagus. It is situated between the visceral and
969:
436:
during embryologic development occurs above the vertebral level of T12. In such cases, dilation of the lumbar trunks may be present instead.
133:
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Schuenke, Michael; Schulte, Erik; Schumacher, Udo; Ross, Lawrence M.; Lamperti, Edward D.; Voll, Markus; Wesker, Karl (24 May 2006).
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715:
Ellis, Harold; Insull, Phillip (1 October 2007). "Clinical
Anatomy: Applied anatomy for students and junior doctors".
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The position and relation of the esophagus in the cervical region and in the posterior mediastinum. Seen from behind.
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Schipper, Paul; Sukumar, Mithran; Mayberry, John C. (1 January 2008), Asensio, JUAN A.; Trunkey, DONALD D. (eds.),
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in the body other than from the right thorax, arm, head, and neck. These are drained by the right lymphatic duct.
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A cisterna chyli is absent in about half of individuals; the cisterna chyli fails to develop when the fusion of
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51:. (b), (c′) Efferent trunks from lateral aortic glands. (d) An efferent vessel which p...
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In over 95% of individuals, the thoracic duct ends by draining either at the venous angle, or into the
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at Human
Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center — "The thoracic duct and azygos venous network"
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From its origin at the cisterna chyli, the thoracic duct ascends anterior to and to the right of the
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where left subclavian and left internal jugular veins unite to form the left brachiocephalic vein.
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in the left supraclavicular area, in the vicinity where the thoracic duct empties into the left
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The characteristic anatomy of the thoracic duct is present in only about half of individuals.
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The thoracic and right lymphatic ducts. (Thoracic duct is thin vertical white line at center.)
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in the body other than from the right thorax, arm, head, and neck (which are drained by the
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The first sign of a malignancy, especially an intra-abdominal one, may be an enlarged
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The lymph transport, in the thoracic duct, is mainly caused by the action of
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Diagram showing parts of the body that drain into the right lymphatic duct.
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Deep lymph nodes and vessels of the thorax and abdomen (diagrammatic).
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Transverse section of thorax, showing relations of pulmonary artery.
47:
Modes of origin of thoracic duct. (a) Thoracic duct. (a′)
997:"Instruction video for Ultrasound examination of the thoracic duct"
873:
Schmidek and Sweet: Operative
Neurosurgical Techniques 2-Volume Set
626:
217:). The thoracic duct usually begins from the upper aspect of the
182:
42:
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When the duct ruptures, the resulting flood of liquid into the
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terminates "prematurely" by emptying into the azygous system.
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461:, but - in the minority of cases - empties into either the
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876:(7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Elsavier. p. 2076.
824:"Pertinent Surgical Anatomy of the Thorax and Mediastinum"
296:
The thoracic duct commences at the upper extremity of the
30:
821:
789:
Ilahi, Maira; St Lucia, Kayla; Ilahi, Tahir B. (2022),
671:
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Current
Therapy of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care
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948:Tewfik, Ted L.; Mosenifar, Zab (7 December 2017).
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617:Front photo of the ductus thoracicus in the human
984:: Basic Human Anatomy at Dartmouth Medical School
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679:Thieme Atlas of Anatomy: Neck and internal organs
396:. It descends until reaching and draining at the
1689:
947:
797:, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing,
388:. From here, it passes anteroinferiorly to the
384:. At C7 level, it lies posterolaterally to the
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905:Jacob, S. (1 January 2008), Jacob, S. (ed.),
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408:The thoracic duct usually drains into the
41:
29:
913:, Churchill Livingstone, pp. 51–70,
830:, Philadelphia: Mosby, pp. 227–251,
317:, situated in between the aorta, and the
221:, passing out of the abdomen through the
581:The arch of the aorta, and its branches.
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493:The thoracic duct collects most of the
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989:"Ultrasound imaging the thoracic duct"
284:before descending to terminate at the
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978:at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center
956:. WebMD Health Professional Network.
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445:may be entirely bilaterally paired.
361:The thoracic ducts ascends into the
870:Quiñones-Hinojosa, Alfredo (2021).
13:
919:10.1016/b978-0-443-10373-5.50006-3
836:10.1016/b978-0-323-04418-9.50037-0
372:. It passes posterior to the left
321:. The thoracic duct traverses the
300:at the level of the T12 vertebra.
14:
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791:"Anatomy, Thorax, Thoracic Duct"
729:10.1111/j.1445-2197.2007.04191.x
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723:(10) (11th ed.): 911–912.
252:. It also collects most of the
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410:systemic (blood) circulation
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235:systemic (blood) circulation
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982:figures/chapter_24/24-5.HTM
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205:) is the larger of the two
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682:. Thieme. pp. 136ff.
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970:Anatomy figure: 21:05-02
475:transverse cervical vein
1698:Lymphatics of the torso
950:"Thoracic Duct Anatomy"
403:
345:between the descending
1424:Superior diaphragmatic
1387:Subclavian lymph trunk
1239:inferior deep cervical
1234:superior deep cervical
1202:Deep anterior cervical
1069:Mastoid/retroauricular
717:ANZ Journal of Surgery
641:anatomical terminology
512:, aided by the duct's
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349:(to its left) and the
165:Anatomical terminology
1229:Deep lateral cervical
525:Clinical significance
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467:external jugular vein
455:internal jugular vein
382:internal jugular vein
374:common carotid artery
343:posterior mediastinum
337:Posterior mediastinum
331:posterior mediastinum
227:posterior mediastinum
213:(the other being the
93:internal jugular vein
87:Junction of the left
1477:Right lymphatic duct
907:"Chapter 3 - Thorax"
542:brachiocephalic vein
463:brachiocephalic vein
363:superior mediastinum
357:Superior mediastinum
304:Course and relations
258:right lymphatic duct
231:superior mediastinum
215:right lymphatic duct
1566:Inferior mesenteric
1550:Superior mesenteric
1429:Trachea and bronchi
390:thyrocervical trunk
191:left lymphatic duct
189:(also known as the
1623:Lumbar lymph trunk
976:Anatomy image:8901
639:This article uses
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471:suprascapular vein
378:vagus nerve (CN X)
203:Van Hoorne's canal
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689:978-3-13-142111-1
556:Additional images
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199:chyliferous duct
171:edit on Wikidata
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429:
425:
417:
415:
411:
401:
399:
395:
394:phrenic nerve
391:
387:
383:
379:
375:
371:
366:
364:
359:
358:
354:
352:
348:
344:
339:
338:
334:
332:
329:to enter the
328:
327:aortic hiatus
324:
320:
316:
311:
310:
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299:
289:
287:
283:
272:
270:
266:
261:
259:
255:
251:
247:
242:
240:
236:
232:
229:and then the
228:
224:
223:aortic hiatus
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
200:
196:
192:
188:
187:thoracic duct
184:
172:
166:
162:
159:
156:
154:
150:
147:
144:
142:
138:
135:
132:
130:
126:
123:
120:
118:
114:
111:
108:
106:
102:
97:
94:
90:
86:
82:
79:
76:
72:
69:
66:
64:
60:
55:
50:
44:
39:
32:
27:
24:Thoracic duct
22:
19:
1471:
1449:paratracheal
1217:prelaryngeal
1212:paratracheal
1089:preauricular
953:
943:
932:, retrieved
910:
900:
872:
849:, retrieved
827:
817:
806:, retrieved
794:
720:
716:
693:. Retrieved
678:
531:
528:
507:
492:
483:
452:
448:
447:
443:
439:
438:
434:lumbar trunk
431:
427:
426:
423:
414:venous angle
412:at the left
407:
398:venous angle
367:
360:
356:
355:
340:
336:
335:
312:
308:
307:
295:
286:venous angle
278:
267:is known as
262:
243:
239:venous angle
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
180:
134:A12.4.01.007
109:
18:
1670:superficial
1513:Retroaortic
1419:Intercostal
1414:Parasternal
1344:Subscapular
1207:pretracheal
1171:Superficial
1079:Superficial
934:18 November
851:18 November
808:30 December
619:mediastinum
550:chylothorax
449:Termination
370:alar fascia
351:azygos vein
319:azygos vein
269:chylothorax
207:lymph ducts
99:Identifiers
1571:pararectal
1554:mesenteric
1518:Paraaortic
1136:Mandibular
1129:nasolabial
1124:buccinator
892:1253347770
795:StatPearls
659:References
648:Lymph duct
538:lymph node
1677:Popliteal
1560:mesocolic
1557:ileocolic
1523:Preaortic
1148:Submental
1064:Occipital
737:1445-2197
621:with the
510:breathing
457:, or the
420:Variation
323:diaphragm
275:Structure
181:In human
91:and left
84:Drains to
1692:Category
1653:Inguinal
1591:internal
1586:external
1439:inferior
1434:superior
1339:Pectoral
1334:Brachial
1329:Axillary
1179:anterior
1162:Cervical
954:Medscape
803:30020599
745:70800205
635:See also
629:removed.
627:pericard
489:Function
1616:Vessels
1543:splenic
1538:hepatic
1533:gastric
1495:Abdomen
1465:Vessels
1380:Vessels
1349:Central
1295:Vessels
1222:thyroid
1184:lateral
1074:Parotid
325:at the
309:Abdomen
237:at the
209:of the
183:anatomy
122:D013897
57:Details
1598:Sacral
1581:Common
1577:Iliac
1528:Celiac
1354:Apical
1119:Facial
925:
890:
880:
842:
801:
743:
735:
695:1 June
686:
518:valves
428:Origin
392:, and
380:, and
292:Origin
201:, and
185:, the
74:Source
63:System
1502:Nodes
1407:Nodes
1400:Chest
1322:Nodes
1265:Other
1112:Front
741:S2CID
623:heart
495:lymph
477:, or
254:lymph
250:lymph
246:chyle
169:[
105:Latin
1658:deep
1360:Arm
1194:Deep
1084:Deep
1057:Back
1050:Head
936:2020
923:ISBN
888:OCLC
878:ISBN
853:2020
840:ISBN
810:2022
799:PMID
733:ISSN
697:2010
684:ISBN
536:, a
404:Fate
282:neck
158:5031
146:5137
129:TA98
117:MeSH
1646:Leg
915:doi
832:doi
725:doi
260:).
153:FMA
141:TA2
1694::
952:.
921:,
909:,
886:.
860:^
838:,
826:,
793:,
753:^
739:.
731:.
721:77
719:.
705:^
666:^
552:.
481:.
473:,
469:,
465:,
400:.
376:,
333:.
288:.
271:.
241:.
197:,
193:,
1027:e
1020:t
1013:v
999:.
991:.
917::
894:.
834::
747:.
727::
699:.
643:.
173:]
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