The right lymphatic duct is an important

lymphatic vessel The lymphatic vessels (or lymph vessels or lymphatics) are thin-walled vessels (tubes), structured like blood vessels, that carry lymph. As part of the lymphatic system, lymph vessels are complementary to the cardiovascular system. Lymph vessel ...

that drains the right upper quadrant of the

human body The human body is the entire structure of a Human, human being. It is composed of many different types of Cell (biology), cells that together create Tissue (biology), tissues and subsequently Organ (biology), organs and then Organ system, org ...

. It forms various combinations with the right

subclavian vein The subclavian vein is a paired large vein, one on either side of the body, that is responsible for draining blood from the upper extremities, allowing this blood to return to the heart. The left subclavian vein plays a key role in the absorption ...

and right

internal jugular vein The internal jugular vein is a paired jugular vein that collects blood from the brain and the superficial parts of the face and neck. This vein runs in the carotid sheath with the common carotid artery and vagus nerve. It begins in the posteri ...

Structure

The right lymphatic duct courses along the medial border of the

anterior scalene The scalene muscles are a group of three muscles on each side of the neck, identified as the anterior, the middle, and the posterior. They are innervated by the third to the eighth cervical spinal nerves (C3-C8). The anterior and middle scale ...

at the root of the neck. The right lymphatic duct forms various combinations with the right

and right

. It is approximately 1.25 cm long.

Variations

A right lymphatic duct that enters directly into the junction of the internal jugular and subclavian veins is uncommon.

Function

Diagram showing the parts of the body the lymphatic and thoracic ducts drain CRUK 323

The right duct drains

lymph Lymph () is the fluid that flows through the lymphatic system, a system composed of lymph vessels (channels) and intervening lymph nodes whose function, like the venous system, is to return fluid from the tissues to be recirculated. At the ori ...

fluid from: * the upper right section of the trunk, (right thoracic cavity, via the right

bronchomediastinal trunk The bronchomediastinal lymph trunks are essential components of the human lymphatic system, tasked with draining lymph from the tracheobronchial, internal mammary, and anterior mediastinal lymph nodes. Located in the mediastinum, the central p ...

) * the right arm (via the right

subclavian trunk The efferent vessels of the subclavicular group unite to form the subclavian trunk, which opens either directly into the junction of the internal jugular and subclavian veins or into the jugular lymphatic trunk; on the left side it may end in the ...

) * and right side of the head and neck (via the right

jugular trunk The jugular trunk is a lymphatic vessel in the neck. It is formed by vessels that emerge from the superior deep cervical lymph nodes and unite to efferents of the inferior deep cervical lymph nodes. On the right side, this trunk ends in the juncti ...

) * also, in some individuals, the lower lobe of the left lung. All other sections of the human body are drained by 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 ...

Clinical significance

Along with the thoracic duct, the right lymphatic duct is one of the lymphatic structures most likely to be ruptured in the

thorax The thorax (: thoraces or thoraxes) or chest is a part of the anatomy of mammals and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main di ...

. This can cause

chylothorax A chylothorax is an abnormal accumulation of chyle, a type of lipid-rich lymph, in the pleural space surrounding the lung. The lymphatic vessels of the digestive system normally return lipids absorbed from the small bowel via the thoracic duct, ...

History

The discovery of this structure has been credited to

Niels Stensen Niels is a male given name, equivalent to Nicholas, which is common in Denmark, Belgium, Norway (formerly) and the Netherlands. The Norwegian and Swedish variant is Nils. The name is a developed short form of Nicholas or Greek Nikolaos, after Sain ...

Additional images

File:Gray621.png, Deep lymph nodes and vessels of the thorax and abdomen (diagrammatic).

References

External links

{{Authority control Lymphatics of the torso