Anatomy study note · Thorax

Azygos vein

The main vein of the azygos system, which drains the back of the thoracic wall and posterior abdominal wall and links the two venae cavae.

Key points

• Arches over the right lung root at T5 → SVC.
• Hemiazygos crosses at T8; accessory hemiazygos at T7.
• Collateral route in caval obstruction.
• Lower oesophagus: azygos ↔ left gastric anastomosis.
• Azygos line veins + end of right posterior cardinal.
• Vein: thin wall, adventitia thickest, valves.
• Veins hold ~70% of the blood.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Course · Tributaries · Histology · Development · Clinical notes

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Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 5, PDF pp. 648–650, 659
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 15, PDF pp. 268–270; ch. 14, PDF p. 211
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 11, PDF pp. 203–205

More from the thorax

• Brachiocephalic artery
• Brachiocephalic veins
• Bronchopulmonary segments
• Coronary sinus and cardiac veins
• Costal cartilages
• Descending thoracic aorta
• Diaphragm
• Esophagus
• First rib
• Heart
• Intercostal arteries
• Intercostal muscles

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