Inferior mesenteric vein
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Sajith Karunasena had no recorded disclosures.
View Sajith Karunasena's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Ciléin Kearns had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Ciléin Kearns's current disclosures- Inferior mesenteric vein (IMV)
- IMV (inferior mesenteric vein)
The inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) drains blood from the distal portion of the colon as well as the rectum (i.e. the hindgut).
Gross anatomy
Origin and course
The inferior mesenteric vein drains the mesenteric arcade of the hindgut (comprising of distal transverse, descending, and sigmoid colon). Specifically, it drains the tributaries of sigmoid veins, middle and left colic veins, as well as the superior rectal vein. The rectal vein and sigmoid vein usually join to form a common trunk before uniting with the left colic vein.
Supply
The inferior mesenteric vein usually drains into the splenic vein; however, anatomical variants where it drains to the superior mesenteric vein or at the splenoportal angle are not uncommon.
Relations
The inferior mesenteric vein lies left of the inferior mesenteric artery and anterior to the left psoas major muscle, close to the ligament of Trietz. It can cross the left testicular artery or ascend medially to it.
Quiz questions
References
- 1. Gray's Anatomy. Churchill Livingstone. (2011) ISBN:0443066841. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Graf O, Boland GW, Kaufman JA, Warshaw AL, Fernandez del Castillo C, Mueller PR. Anatomic variants of mesenteric veins: depiction with helical CT venography. AJR. American journal of roentgenology. 168 (5): 1209-13. doi:10.2214/ajr.168.5.9129413 - Pubmed
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