title: [Cervical venous anastomoses of pulmonary lymphatic origin].
abstract: The aim of this study was to describe in detail the anastomoses between pulmonary lymphatic vessels and veins of the neck so as to better understand certain complications in thoracic surgery. Lymphatic vessels of 687 pulmonary segments in 360 cadavers were injected. Detailed study of the end of the right paratracheal, right thoraco oesophageal, left preaorticocarotid and left recurrent lymph node chains was undertaken. The results showed the absence of any major right lymphatic duct. There were, however, many lymphatic arches draining into the jugulo-subclavian confluent ipsilaterally and, in 10 to 25% of cases, contralaterally, as well. The intertracheobronchial lymph nodes also drained into the venous confluents of the neck, via direct lymphatic vessels, without lymph node relays. Lastly, the left mediastinal lymph node chains were frequently found to drain into the arch of the thoracic duct (40% of cases), and reflux by valvular incompetence at this level could be an explanation for chylous pericarditis and some chylothoraxes after surgery.
authors.affiliation: Service de Chirurgie Thoracique - Hôpital Laennec (Paris).
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Le Pimpec Barthes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riquet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hartl
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hubsch
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hidden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001980:Bronchi / Q000601:surgery; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply*; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000098:blood supply; D013903:Thoracic Surgery; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery; D014680:Veins / Q000601:surgery
vernacular_title: Connexions veineuses cervicales des lymphatiques d'origine pulmonaire.