The lung veins
Pulmonary veins · venae pulmonales
Four veins that bring freshly oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart.
What it does
Two pulmonary veins leave each lung and empty into the left atrium. They carry blood that has just picked up oxygen in the lungs, ready to be pumped by the left side of the heart around the body.
Surprising fact
They are the only veins in an adult that carry oxygen-rich blood.
Why it matters
The most common heart rhythm problem, atrial fibrillation, often starts with stray electrical signals from where the pulmonary veins join the heart, and treatment can isolate these spots.
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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.