The azygos vein
Azygos vein · vena azygos
An unpaired vein in the back of the chest that collects blood from the chest wall.
What it does
The azygos vein runs up the right side of the spine in the back of the chest, collecting blood from the spaces between the ribs and from the back. It arches over the root of the right lung to join the superior vena cava.
Surprising fact
Its name comes from the Greek for "unpaired", because there is only one, on the right; a smaller partner system drains the left.
Why it matters
It links the veins of the upper and lower body, providing a detour if the inferior vena cava is blocked.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.