Thoracic duct. Medical search. Frequent questions

The thoracic duct usually begins from the upper aspect of the cisterna chyli, passing out of the abdomen through the aortic hiatus into first the posterior mediastinum and then the superior mediastinum, extending as high up as the root of the neck before descending to drain into the systemic (blood) circulation at the venous angle. (wikipedia.org)
The thoracic duct commences at the upper extremity of the cisterna chyli at the level of the T12 vertebra. (wikipedia.org)
Abdomen From its origin at the cisterna chyli, the thoracic duct ascends anterior to and to the right of the vertebral column, siuated in between the aorta, and the azygos vein. (wikipedia.org)
Channels that join the jugular lymph sacs to the cisterna chyli become the thoracic duct (or left lymphatic duct) and the right lymphatic duct. (medscape.com)
The cisterna chyli loses its connections with the surrounding veins but produces the inferior portion of the thoracic duct. (medscape.com)
1 , 2 Lymphangiography has been used to identify the location of the injury, followed by thoracic duct embolization (TDE), typically with coils and glue via the cisterna chyli. (canjsurg.ca)
4 An alternative approach has been described by Guerva and colleagues 4 whereby retrograde access to the thoracic duct is obtained at its insertion point into the left subclavian vein under ultrasonographic guidance in instances in which the cisterna chyli cannot be identified on the lymphangiogram. (canjsurg.ca)
Dissection around the thoracic duct cyst was performed using a vessel-sealing system to prevent leakage of the chyle, and reliable clipping was performed to resect the cisterna chyli. (springeropen.com)
Thoracic duct cysts can occur anywhere along the pathway from the abdominal cisterna chyli to the subclavian and internal jugular veins of the neck [ 1 ]. (springeropen.com)
I would then gently and slowly pump my hands up and down in order to stimulate the action of the cisterna chyli, which is located in the middle of the abdomen and the thoracic duct, which is located at the base of the neck. (drstandley.com)
The cisterna chyli is a dilated sac that empties the intestinal lymphatic vessels, two lumbar lymphatic vessels and two descending lymphatic trunks into the thoracic duct. (drstandley.com)
The thoracic duct is the main lymph duct of the body that has its origin at the cisterna chyli in the middle of the abdomen. (drstandley.com)
The thoracic duct originates from the cisterna chyli and passes upward through a dome-shaped muscle called the diaphragm located directly under the rib cage and into the thorax (chest). (drstandley.com)
The lumbar lymphatic trunk joins the intestinal lymphatic trunk and cisterna chyli to form the thoracic duct, which empties into the left subclavian vein. (oncolink.org)
Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathing exercises are a valuable tool in stimulating deep lymphatic structures, such as the cisterna chyli, the abdominal part of the thoracic duct, lumbar trunks, and lumbar lymph nodes, pelvic lymph nodes, and certain organ systems. (thecancerspecialist.com)

When the duct ruptures, the resulting flood of liquid into the pleural cavity is known as chylothorax. (wikipedia.org)
Chyle leak and chylothorax is a well-described complication in thoracic surgery. (canjsurg.ca)
Chylothorax is caused by injury or obstruction of the thoracic duct or its main tributaries leading to chyle accumulation in the pleural space. (nih.gov)
Cancer: Tumors in the chest or abdomen can disrupt the thoracic duct and cause chylothorax. (petcarerx.com)
Surgery: In some cases, surgery may be necessary to repair the thoracic duct or remove any underlying tumors causing chylothorax. (petcarerx.com)
All the pleural effusion at the apex of the thorax and sometimes cultures and smears for Mycobacterium with the arch of the thoracic duct near to explain chylothorax as a complication spp. (who.int)
Lymph vessels have of LIMA harvesting than the injury of A diagnosis of chylothorax was valves and normally back-flow is im- the thoracic duct itself since this is more made due to lymphatic injury during possible. (who.int)
LIMA harvesting, and the patient was allow backflow from the thoracic duct of chylothorax following LIMA harvest placed on a low-fat diet. (who.int)
La Revue de Santé de la Méditerranée orientale which is not always connected with the chylothorax responds more readily to patient developed severe chylothorax, thoracic duct itself [2]. (who.int)
All but 1 dog with idiopathic chylothorax and 1 dog with chylothorax from a heart base tumor had unsuccessful thoracic duct ligation prior to pump placement. (avma.org)
Substernal goiters grow slowly but steadily over time, extending below the clavicles into the upper chest, and there are a number of associated signs and symptoms, including dyspnea, dysphagia, hyperthyroidism , hoarseness, the sensation of a mass in the throat, superior vena cava syndrome , and chylothorax due to thoracic duct compression. (medscape.com)

Posterior mediastinum It ascends the posterior mediastinum between the descending thoracic aorta (to its left) and the azygos vein (to its right), and is situated posterior to the esophagus at the T7 vertebral level. (wikipedia.org)
In the superior mediastinum, the thoracic duct is situated posterior to and to the left of the esophagus. (wikipedia.org)
At the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra, the thoracic duct inclines toward the left side to enter the superior mediastinum and ascends behind the aortic arch and the thoracic part of the left subclavian artery, between the left side of the esophagus and the left pleura, to the thoracic inlet. (medscape.com)
A 53-year-old man presented to the thoracic surgery clinic with a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus confirmed on pathologic examination. (canjsurg.ca)
Intraoperatively, extensive adhesions were noted on mobilization of the intrathoracic esophagus, and supradiaphragmatic mass ligation of the thoracic duct was performed. (canjsurg.ca)
The soft tissue intervening between the esophagus, azygos vein, descending thoracic aorta and vertebral column deep to the operative field was ligated distally with a large titanium metal clip (Weck Horizon, Teleflex) just above the diaphragm. (canjsurg.ca)
The thoracic cavity also contains the esophagus , the channel through which food is passed from the throat to the stomach . (britannica.com)
Thoracic tissue and organ surgery, including surgery of the heart, lungs, and chest wall as well as the trachea, esophagus, and thoracic duct. (illinois.edu)
and the inferior posterior part, containing the thoracic duct and esophagus. (reference.md)

The vessel usually commences at the level of the twelfth thoracic vertebra (T12) and extends to the root of the neck before descending to terminate at the venous angle. (wikipedia.org)
The thoracic duct is a tubular structure that is 2-3 mm in diameter, varies in length from 38-45 cm, and extends from the second lumbar vertebra to the root of the neck (see the following image). (medscape.com)
Contrast-enhanced CT revealed a cephalocaudally continuous multifocal cystic lesion from the posterior mediastinum to the retroperitoneum at the level of the 8th thoracic vertebra to the 2nd lumbar vertebra. (springeropen.com)
A comparison of the number of thoracic ducts at each vertebra between transverse T2WI and MRTD did not reveal any significant differences for all vertebrae. (openveterinaryjournal.com)
The abdominal aorta (Fig. 531) begins at the aortic hiatus of the diaphragm, in front of the lower border of the body of the last thoracic vertebra, and, descending in front of the vertebral column, ends on the body of the fourth lumbar vertebra, commonly a little to the left of the middle line, (* 103 by dividing into the two common iliac arteries. (theodora.com)
The head of each rib articulates posteriorly with the bodies of the vertebra at its own level and of the one above it, except for the first rib, which only attaches to the first thoracic vertebra. (statpearls.com)

A case of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was induced through immunosuppression following thoracic duct ligation. (ncl.ac.uk)
On postoperative days 12-14, the chest tube output increased to about 1.5 L per 24 hours, and the patient was offered right thoracotomy and repeat mass ligation of the thoracic duct. (canjsurg.ca)
Surgical interventions include thoracic duct ligation, pleuroperitoneal shunt and percutaneous embolisation. (nih.gov)

The formation of the lymph nodes results in reduction of some trunks and plexuses of the thoracic duct. (medscape.com)
Disturbances in the formation processes of the lymph nodes can result in various structural variants of the thoracic duct in children and adults. (medscape.com)
The thoracic duct wall and the lymph nodes formation are not completed by birth. (medscape.com)
1 illustration of spine and ribs shown in isolation with promontorial lymph nodes, thoracic duct. (utoronto.ca)

In the posterior mediastinum, the thoracic duct lies anterior to the vertebral column, the right intercostal arteries, and the hemiazygos veins as they cross to open into the azygos vein. (medscape.com)
The study adds valuable information regarding lymphovenous communications between the thoracic duct and the azygos vein, which are very rarely discovered during anatomical dissections and very few cases have been mentioned worldwide. (ama.ba)
In the current study, two sizeable obliquely directed lymphovenous anastomoses between the thoracic duct and the azygos vein at the midportion of the mediastinum are described in the same cadaver. (ama.ba)

The first sign of a malignancy, especially an intra-abdominal one, may be an enlarged Virchow's node, a lymph node in the left supraclavicular area, in the vicinity where the thoracic duct empties into the left brachiocephalic vein, right between where the left subclavian vein and left internal jugular join (i.e., the left Pirogoff angle). (wikipedia.org)

We report a case of a thoracic duct cyst extending from the caudal aspect of the left main bronchus to the left renal artery that was safely and completely resected via bilateral thoracoscopic surgery in the prone position. (springeropen.com)
Based on the surgical findings, the tumor was diagnosed as a thoracic duct cyst rather than a lipoma. (springeropen.com)
Histopathological examination revealed smooth muscle structures around the cyst, suggestive of a thoracic duct cyst. (springeropen.com)
The diagnosis of a thoracic duct cyst was made based on a high triglyceride level of 1310 mg/dL on examination of the milky-white cyst fluid. (springeropen.com)
bed into the left ventricle, from where or intramyocardial, However, when a Most patients with calcification of it could reach any part of the body cyst is located in subendocardial en- the cyst wall remain asymptomatic for through systemic circulation [1-3]. (who.int)

In all dogs, the thoracic ducts coursed along the right-dorsal side of the aorta, cranially from the L2 level. (openveterinaryjournal.com)

The thoracic duct extends from the twelfth thoracic vertebrae to the root of the neck. (thecancerspecialist.com)

In human anatomy, the thoracic duct (also known as the left lymphatic duct, alimentary duct, chyliferous duct, and Van Hoorne's canal) is the larger of the two lymph ducts of the lymphatic system (the other being the right lymphatic duct). (wikipedia.org)
The characteristic anatomy of the thoracic duct is present in only about half of individuals. (wikipedia.org)
Thoracic duct anatomy must be understood in the context of its embryology. (medscape.com)
Eid, N, Ito, Y & Otsuki, Y 2013, ' Thoracic duct relationships to abnormal neurovascular structures in cervicothoracic regions: Case study and clinical relevance ', Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy , vol. 35, no. 10, pp. 969-972. (uaeu.ac.ae)

Thoracic duct cysts are extremely rare mediastinal tumors. (springeropen.com)

The thoracic duct traverses the diaphragm at the aortic hiatus to enter the posterior mediastinum. (wikipedia.org)

CT in the prone position suggested that the tumor could be resected from the thoracic cavity to the caudal side, and bilateral thoracoscopic surgery was performed in the prone position. (springeropen.com)
The thoracic duct in dogs is formed either as a single duct or multiple tributaries within the thoracic cavity after passing through the aortic hiatus, constituting a complex network ( Kagan and Breznock, 1979 ). (openveterinaryjournal.com)
thoracic cavity , the second largest hollow space of the body. (britannica.com)
Trauma: Damage to the thoracic duct caused by physical trauma to the chest or abdomen can result in a buildup of lymphatic fluid in the pleural cavity. (petcarerx.com)

The main goal of this procedure was to remove, en bloc, all ipsilateral lymphatic structures from the mandible superiorly to the clavicle inferiorly and from the strap muscles to the anterior border of the trapezius. (medscape.com)

Superior mediastinum The thoracic ducts ascends into the superior mediastinum, reaching 2-3cm superior to the clavicle, as high up as the C7 vertebral level. (wikipedia.org)
a plexus of lymphatic vessels replacing the thoracic duct inferiorly and only coalescing into a single duct in the mediastinum may also occur. (wikipedia.org)

It also collects most of the lymph in the body other than from the right thorax, arm, head, and neck (which are drained by the right lymphatic duct). (wikipedia.org)
These are drained by the right lymphatic duct. (wikipedia.org)
The right lymphatic duct drains the right upper limb, right breast, right lung and right side of the head and neck. (thecancerspecialist.com)
The right lymphatic duct drains the right head and neck, right thorax, and right upper extremity into the venous system. (statpearls.com)
The thoracic duct occasionally divides at its upper part into 2 branches, right and left: The left ends in the usual manner, whereas the right opens into the right subclavian vein, in connection with the right lymphatic duct (see the following image). (medscape.com)

Lymph fluid from the lower extremities passes through these deep lymphatic structures and an increased flow of lymph, particularly in the thoracic duct, results in improved lymphatic drainage from the lower extremities. (thecancerspecialist.com)

The stellate ganglion is part of the sympathetic network formed by the inferior cervical and first thoracic ganglia. (medscape.com)
In approximately 80% of the population, the inferior cervical ganglion fuses with the first thoracic ganglion, forming the cervicothoracic ganglion also known as the stellate ganglion. (medscape.com)

The thoracic duct carries chyle, a liquid containing both lymph and emulsified fats, rather than pure lymph. (wikipedia.org)

The presence of variant intercostal and bronchial arteries and variable position of left recurrent laryngeal nerve (LRLN) along the course of thoracic duct (TD) may have clinical relevance in various cervicothoracic surgeries. (uaeu.ac.ae)

Each rib corresponds with each of the 12 vertebrae of the thoracic spine. (statpearls.com)
Osteopathic physicians describe ribs by their motion with respect to the thoracic spine. (statpearls.com)

This study aimed to assess the performance of our magnetic resonance thoracic ductography (MRTD) technique to visualize the thoracic duct and the surrounding 3D anatomical structures by combining MRTD and vascular contrast-enhanced thoracic computed tomography (CT) images in dogs. (openveterinaryjournal.com)

The thoracic duct is one of the main channels for the flow of lymph into the blood in the body ( Bezuidenbout, 2013 ). (openveterinaryjournal.com)

In this article, the indications, techniques, contraindications, side-effects, and monitoring parameters of the HLVA technique related to the ribs as attachments to the thoracic vertebrae will be reviewed. (statpearls.com)

The thoracic duct receives lymph from every part of the body, EXCEPT the right side of the head, neck, thorax (chest) and right upper extremity, which is emptied into the "right lymph duct" which is also near the junction of the jugular and subclavian veins. (drstandley.com)
The thoracic duct drains lymph from the left head and neck, the left thorax, the left upper extremity, and the rest of the lower body into the venous system at the junction of the left internal jugular vein and left subclavian vein. (statpearls.com)

As the duct travels through the deepest part of the submandibular gland, it connects with tributaries draining into the lobe. (healthline.com)

A method of zonal centrifugation was developed which separates rat thoracic duct lymphocytes (TDL) mainly according to size. (rupress.org)

Since 2011, we have started performing minimally invasive esophagectomy, with thoracic part of the procedure being performed by a thoracic surgeon. (hindawi.com)

The thoracic ducts were identified in MRTD images of all dogs, and the surrounding anatomical structures were located with the aid of contrast-enhanced thoracic CT. (openveterinaryjournal.com)

The thoracic duct is formed from the abdominal confluence (juncture) of the left and right lumbar lymph trunks, as well as the left and right intestinal lymph trunks between T12 and L2. (thecancerspecialist.com)

The intervening tissue included in the clip contained the thoracic duct and plexus of lacteals. (canjsurg.ca)

The thoracic duct usually drains into the systemic (blood) circulation at the left venous angle where left subclavian and left internal jugular veins unite to form the left brachiocephalic vein. (wikipedia.org)

Fahrer, M, Down, G & Suami, H 2002, ' From Copenhagen to Yedo: the long journey of the thoracic duct ', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery , vol. 72, no. (edu.au)

Retrograde access via the left subclavian vein was also unsuccessful in localizing the entry point of the thoracic duct. (canjsurg.ca)

The chest tube and its tract were used as an avenue to access the thoracic duct and successfully facilitate its embolization. (canjsurg.ca)

The thoracic duct becomes adaptively dilated in the presence of certain pathological conditions (congestive heart failure, portal hypertension, and malignancy). (wikipedia.org)
Thoracic duct (TD) stenting is considered a treatment option for certain pathological conditions caused by TD obstruction, such as chyluria. (springeropen.com)

Termination In over 95% of individuals, the thoracic duct ends by draining either at the venous angle, or into the internal jugular vein, or the subclavian vein, but - in the minority of cases - empties into either the brachiocephalic vein, external jugular vein, suprascapular vein, transverse cervical vein, or vertebral vein. (wikipedia.org)

Rarely, the thoracic duct may be entirely bilaterally paired. (wikipedia.org)
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. (wikipedia.org)
Rarely, the thoracic duct terminates "prematurely" by emptying into the azygous system. (wikipedia.org)

Moreover, MRI does not require contrast media, and it enables visualization of morphological details of the thoracic structures. (openveterinaryjournal.com)
Stimulation of these deep lymphatic structures, in particular the thoracic duct (the largest lymph vessel in the body), accelerates the transport of lymph fluid toward the venous angles (15), through which the lymph fluid is returned into the blood circulatory system. (thecancerspecialist.com)

The thoracic duct is the largest lymphatic vessel within the human body, and plays a key role in the lymphatic system. (healthline.com)
These lymphatic vessels eventually merge into a rather large vessel called the thoracic duct. (petplace.com)
The thoracic duct is the largest lymphatic vessel in the human body. (thecancerspecialist.com)

In adults, the thoracic duct is typically 38-45 cm in length and has an average diameter of about 5 mm. (wikipedia.org)
In adults, the thoracic duct transports up to 4 L of lymph per day. (wikipedia.org)

Macrophages with characteristic PAS-positive granules were found circulating in thoracic duct lymph. (arizona.edu)

The pathologists found the tissue samples demonstrated an unusual pattern of lung disease involving lymphocytic bronchiolitis with extension into alveolar ducts and emphysema. (cdc.gov)

Anatomy14

Diseases6

Chemicals and Drugs1

Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment7

Cisterna chyli15

Chylothorax11

Esophagus9

Vertebra6

Ligation3

Lymph nodes4

Azygos vein3

Empties into the left1

Cyst5

Aorta1

Twelfth thoracic1

Anatomy4

Mediastinal1

Posterior mediastinum1

Cavity4

Anterior1

Mediastinum2

Right lymp5

Lymphatic drainage1

Inferior2

Chyle1

Recurrent1

Spine2

Computed tomography1

Flow of lymph1

Vertebrae1

Neck2

Tributaries1

Lymphocytes1

Minimally invasive1

Anatomical1

Lumbar1

Plexus1

Drains1

Surgery1

Unsuccessful1

Chest1

Certain pathological conditions2

Jugular1

Rarely3

Structures2

Vessel3

Adults2

Characteristic1

Tissue1