The intervertebral veins accompany the spinal nerves through the
intervertebral foramina
The intervertebral foramen (also called neural foramen, and often abbreviated as IV foramen or IVF) is a foramen between two spinal vertebrae. Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae all have intervertebral foramina.
The foramina, or openin ...
; they receive the veins from the
medulla spinalis
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue, which extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column (backbone). The backbone encloses the central canal of the spinal ...
, drain the internal and
external vertebral plexuses.
Their drainage depends upon the part of the body:
*
Neck:
vertebral vein
The vertebral vein is formed in the suboccipital triangle, from numerous small tributaries which spring from the internal vertebral venous plexuses and issue from the vertebral canal above the posterior arch of the atlas.
They unite with small v ...
*
Thorax
The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of humans, mammals, and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the cre ...
:
intercostal veins
*
Lumbar region
In tetrapod anatomy, lumbar is an adjective that means ''of or pertaining to the abdominal segment of the torso, between the diaphragm and the sacrum.''
The lumbar region is sometimes referred to as the lower spine, or as an area of the back ...
:
lumbar veins
The lumbar veins are four pairs of veins running along the inside of the posterior abdominal wall, and drain venous blood from parts of the abdominal wall. Each lumbar vein accompanies a single lumbar artery. The lower two pairs of lumbar veins ...
*
Sacral region:
lateral sacral veins
The lateral sacral veins accompany the lateral sacral arteries
The lateral sacral arteries is an artery in the pelvis that arises from the posterior division of the internal iliac artery. It later splits into two smaller branches, a superior ...
Their orifices are provided with
valves
A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fitting ...
.
References
External links
Veins of the torso
{{Portal bar, Anatomy