The periaortic lymph nodes (also known as lumbar) are a group of

lymph node A lymph node, or lymph gland, is a kidney-shaped organ of the lymphatic system and the adaptive immune system. A large number of lymph nodes are linked throughout the body by the lymphatic vessels. They are major sites of lymphocytes that includ ...

s that lie in front of the

lumbar vertebrae The lumbar vertebrae are located between the thoracic vertebrae and pelvis. They form the lower part of the back in humans, and the tail end of the back in quadrupeds. In humans, there are five lumbar vertebrae. The term is used to describe t ...

near the

aorta The aorta ( ; : aortas or aortae) is the main and largest artery in the human body, originating from the Ventricle (heart), left ventricle of the heart, branching upwards immediately after, and extending down to the abdomen, where it splits at ...

. These lymph nodes receive drainage from the

gastrointestinal tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the Digestion, digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascula ...

and the

abdominal The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...

organs. The periaortic lymph nodes are different from the paraaortic lymph nodes. The periaortic group is the general group, that is subdivided into: preaortic, paraaortic, and retroaortic groups. The paraaortic group is synonymous with the lateral aortic group.

Divisions

The periaortic lymph node group is divided into three subgroups: preaortic, paraaortic, and retroaortic: * The preaortic group drains the gastrointestinal viscera. They can be subdivided into three groups: the celiac nodes, the superior mesenteric nodes, and the inferior mesenteric nodes. *The paraaortic group (also known as lateral aortic group) drains the iliac nodes, the

ovaries The ovary () is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova; when released, an ovum travels through the fallopian tube/oviduct into the uterus. There is an ovary on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries are endocr ...

, the

testes A testicle or testis ( testes) is the gonad in all male bilaterians, including humans, and is homologous to the ovary in females. Its primary functions are the production of sperm and the secretion of androgens, primarily testosterone. The ...

and other pelvic organs. The lateral group nodes are located adjacent to the

, anterior to the spine, extending laterally to the edge of the

psoas major muscle The psoas major ( or ; from ) is a long fusiform muscle located in the lateral lumbar region between the vertebral column and the brim of the lesser pelvis. It joins the iliacus muscle to form the iliopsoas. In other animals, this muscle is equ ...

s, and superiorly to the crura of the diaphragm. * The retroaortic group are sometimes included in the paraaortic group due to their position (which is also lateral) and the same pattern of lymphatic drainage. The right paraaortic nodes, are situated partly in front of the

inferior vena cava The inferior vena cava is a large vein that carries the deoxygenated blood from the lower and middle body into the right atrium of the heart. It is formed by the joining of the right and the left common iliac veins, usually at the level of the ...

near the termination of the

renal vein The renal veins in the renal circulation, are large-calibre veins that drain blood filtered by the kidneys into the inferior vena cava. There is one renal vein draining each kidney. Each renal vein is formed by the convergence of the interlobar v ...

, and partly behind it on the origin of the

psoas major The psoas major ( or ; from ) is a long fusiform muscle located in the lateral lumbar region between the vertebral column and the brim of the lesser pelvis. It joins the iliacus muscle to form the iliopsoas. In other animals, this muscle is e ...

, and on the right

crus of diaphragm The crus of diaphragm (: crura), refers to one of two tendinous structures that extends below the diaphragm to the vertebral column. There is a right crus and a left crus, which together form a tether for muscular contraction. They take their na ...

. The left paraaortic nodes form a chain on the left side of the abdominal aorta in front of the origin of the psoas major and on the left crus of the diaphragm. The paraaortic and retroaortic nodes receive: * (a) the efferents of the

common iliac lymph nodes The common iliac lymph nodes, four to six in number, are grouped behind and on the sides of the common iliac artery, one or two being placed below the bifurcation of the aorta, in front of the fifth lumbar vertebra The lumbar vertebrae are l ...

* (b) the lymphatics from the

testis A testicle or testis ( testes) is the gonad in all male bilaterians, including humans, and is Homology (biology), homologous to the ovary in females. Its primary functions are the production of sperm and the secretion of Androgen, androgens, p ...

in the male, and from the

ovary The ovary () is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova; when released, an ovum travels through the fallopian tube/ oviduct into the uterus. There is an ovary on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries are end ...

uterine tube The fallopian tubes, also known as uterine tubes, oviducts or salpinges (: salpinx), are paired tubular sex organs in the human female body that stretch from the ovaries to the uterus. The fallopian tubes are part of the female reproductive sys ...

, and

uterus The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', : uteri or uteruses) or womb () is the hollow organ, organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans, that accommodates the embryonic development, embryonic and prenatal development, f ...

in the female * (c) the lymphatics from the

kidney In humans, the kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped blood-filtering organ (anatomy), organs that are a multilobar, multipapillary form of mammalian kidneys, usually without signs of external lobulation. They are located on the left and rig ...

and

suprarenal gland The adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands) are endocrine glands that produce a variety of hormones including adrenaline and the steroids aldosterone and cortisol. They are found above the kidneys. Each gland has an outer cortex whic ...

* (d) the lymphatics draining the lateral abdominal muscles and accompanying the

lumbar veins The lumbar veins are four pairs of veins running along the inside of the posterior abdominal wall, and drain venous blood from parts of the abdominal wall. Each lumbar vein accompanies a single lumbar artery. The lower two pairs of lumbar veins ...

Most of the efferent vessels from the paraaortic nodes converge to form the right and left

lumbar trunks The lumbar trunks are formed by the union of the efferent vessels from the lateral aortic lymph nodes. They receive the lymph from the lower limbs, from the walls and viscera of the pelvis, from the kidneys and suprarenal glands and the deep lym ...

which join the

cisterna chyli The cisterna chyli or receptaculum chyli (chy·li pronounced: ˈkī-ˌlī) is a dilated sac at the lower end of the thoracic duct in most mammals into which lymph from the intestinal trunk and two lumbar lymphatic trunks flow. It receives fatty ...

, but some enter the preaortic and retroaortic lymph nodes, and others pierce the crura of the diaphragm to join the lower end of the

thoracic duct In human anatomy, the thoracic duct (also known as the ''left lymphatic duct'', ''alimentary duct'', ''chyliferous duct'', and ''Van Hoorne's canal'') is the larger of the two lymph ducts of the lymphatic system (the other being the right lymph ...

Dissection

The lateral aortic lymph nodes, typically 15 to 20 on each side, are the ones usually chosen for

dissection Dissection (from Latin ' "to cut to pieces"; also called anatomization) is the dismembering of the body of a deceased animal or plant to study its anatomical structure. Autopsy is used in pathology and forensic medicine to determine the cause of ...

biopsy A biopsy is a medical test commonly performed by a surgeon, interventional radiologist, an interventional radiologist, or an interventional cardiology, interventional cardiologist. The process involves the extraction of sampling (medicine), sample ...

in the treatment or diagnosis of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

. A dissection usually includes the region from the bifurcation of the aorta to the

superior mesenteric artery In human anatomy, the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is an artery which arises from the anterior surface of the abdominal aorta, just inferior to the origin of the celiac trunk, and supplies blood to the intestine from the lower part of the ...

or the

Additional images

File:Gray611.png, The parietal lymph glands of the pelvis.

Bibliography

* ''Standring et al. - Gray's Anatomy, The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice 1st edition, 2016'

External links

* http://www.instantanatomy.net/thorax/vessels/lnodes.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Periaortic lymph nodes Lymphatics of the torso

Divisions

Dissection

Additional images

Bibliography

See also

External links