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Structure of Veins
• Consist of tubular wall surrounding a central channel (lumen)
• Have thinner walls than artery
• Lower pressure and slower rate of flow than arteries
• Carry greater volumes of blood.
• Wall composed of three layers; tunica intima, tunica media (contains
smooth muscle) and tunica adventitia.
Valves
• Folds of endothelium lining veins
• Generally consist of pair of cups
• Direct flow back to heart by allowing flow in one direction.
• Often located just distal to the entry of a major tributary and at
termination of tributary.
• Most numerous in the long veins
Venous Tributaries
• Smallest vessels – venules (drain directly from capillary bed)
• Venous tributaries correspond to arterial branches.
• Have more variation than arterial system and are more numerous, many
tributaries remain unnamed.
Venous Communications
• Numerous routes (or alternate pathways) exist between veins.
• Unless venous occlusion is very extensive or of a major vein, venous
occlusion not usually a problem because of this.
• Usually safe to ligate a vein or tributary because of this (unlike arteries)
Venae Comitantes
• A pair of companion veins wrapped around an artery
• Connserve heat by transferring from warm blood headed out in artery.
• Primary located in limbs
• Arrangement aids venous return.
Venous Flow
• Directed toward the artria of the heart
• Flow due to
○ Blood pressure
○ Contraction of adjacent skeletal muscle
○ Oscillation of intrathoracic pressure with respiration.
Venous Pumps
• Vascular Venous pump: arrangement of comitantes aids flow. Connective
tissue around vascular bundle resists expansion compressing blood.
Directed proximally by presence of valves
• Muscular Venous Pump: Main factor responsible for return of blood from
periphery.
• Thoracic Venous Pump: Coupled double-pump with respiration. Inspiration
causes negative intrathoractic pressure and shortens inferior vena cava
emptying it (superior vena cava lengthens and fills). Opposite happens
during expiration.
Varicose Veins
• Abnormal dilatation of a vein, which may become elongated and tortuous.
• Tend to become more prominent with prolonged elevation of venous
pressure.
Venous Spread
• Tumours and infections can spread in organs by veins that drain them.
• Liver and lungs are common sites of tumour metastases.
• This is due to microbes or cancer cells passing through the venous system
and either into portal venous system or vena cavalsystem to the right
heart.
• Proliferation of microbes through the venous system is known as
septicaemia.
• Prostate cancer commonly spreads via veins to the vertebral bodies.
Surface Anatomy