Trunk vessels (aorta, vena cava, abdominal branches)
Superior intercostal veins
Vena intercostalis superior (dextra et sinistra)
- Origin
- Formed by the confluence of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th posterior intercostal veins
- Insertion
- Right vein drains into the arch of the azygos vein; left vein crosses the aortic arch (forming the radiographic 'aortic nipple') to empty into the left brachiocephalic vein
- Function
- Drains the upper posterior intercostal spaces into the central systemic veins
- Innervation
- Sympathetic vasomotor plexus
- Movement & chain
- Low-pressure venous drainage
- Palpation
- Not palpated directly
- Clinical
- Dilated left superior intercostal vein creates a prominent 'aortic nipple' sign on frontal CXR in superior vena cava syndrome or portal hypertension.
- Segmental innervation
- T2-T4 spinal levels
- In clinical practice
- Radiological correlation of mediastinal venous congestion signs
- Region in the model
- Trunk vessels (aorta, vena cava, abdominal branches)