The gastric lymph nodes are

lymph nodes A lymph node, or lymph gland, is a kidney-shaped organ of the lymphatic system and the adaptive immune system. A large number of lymph nodes are linked throughout the body by the lymphatic vessels. They are major sites of lymphocytes that includ ...

which drain the

stomach The stomach is a muscular, hollow organ in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and many other animals, including several invertebrates. The stomach has a dilated structure and functions as a vital organ in the digestive system. The stomach i ...

and consist of two sets, superior and inferior: * The superior gastric lymph nodes () accompany the

left gastric artery In human anatomy, the left gastric artery arises from the celiac artery and runs along the superior portion of the lesser curvature of the stomach. Branches also supply the lower esophagus. The left gastric artery anastomoses with the right gast ...

and are divisible into three groups: ** Upper, on the stem of the artery; ** Lower, accompanying the descending branches of the artery along the cardiac half of the

lesser curvature of the stomach The curvatures of the stomach refer to the greater and lesser curvatures. The greater curvature of the stomach is four or five times as long as the lesser curvature. Greater curvature The greater curvature of the stomach forms the lower left ...

, between the two layers of the

lesser omentum The lesser omentum (small omentum or gastrohepatic omentum) is the double layer of peritoneum that extends from the liver to the lesser curvature of the stomach, and to the first part of the duodenum. The lesser omentum is usually divided into the ...

; ** Paracardial outlying members of the gastric lymph nodes, disposed in a manner comparable to a chain of beads around the neck of the stomach. They receive their afferents from the stomach; their efferents pass to the celiac group of

preaortic lymph nodes The preaortic lymph nodes lie in front of the aorta, and may be divided into celiac lymph nodes, superior mesenteric lymph nodes, and inferior mesenteric lymph nodes groups, arranged around the origins of the corresponding arteries. The celiac ly ...

. * The inferior gastric lymph nodes (; right gastroepiploic lymph nodes), four to seven in number, lie between the two layers of the

greater omentum The greater omentum (also the great omentum, omentum majus, gastrocolic omentum, epiploon, or, especially in animals, caul) is a large apron-like fold of visceral peritoneum that hangs down from the stomach. It extends from the greater curvature o ...

along the pyloric half of the

greater curvature of the stomach The curvatures of the stomach refer to the greater and lesser curvatures. The greater curvature of the stomach is four or five times as long as the lesser curvature. Greater curvature The greater curvature of the stomach forms the lower lef ...

References

Additional images

File:Illu lymph chain08.jpg, Lymph nodes of the abdominal cavity Lymphatics of the torso

Lymph nodes A lymph node, or lymph gland, is a kidney-shaped organ of the lymphatic system and the adaptive immune system. A large number of lymph nodes are linked throughout the body by the lymphatic vessels. They are major sites of lymphocytes that includ ...

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