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