bronchial veins (anatomy)

Last reviewed 01/2018

The bronchial veins form part of the venous drainage system of the lung with the pulmonary veins. It can be divided into two sections:

• deep system:
• drains lung parenchyma deep to segmental divisions
• drains into:
• pulmonary veins between segmental septae
• left atrium
• superficial system:
• drains:
• the visceral pleura
• the segmental and subsegmental regions of lung parenchyma in the region of the hilum
• on the right, the bronchial veins converge on a main trunk which passes into the azygous vein
• on the left, the bronchial veins converge on a main trunk which drains to:
• the accessory hemiazygous vein or
• left superior intercostal vein
• both trunks may receive tracheal and mediastinal veins before passing to the next major vein