Pulmonary vein

Pulmonary vein

The Pulmonary vein is a type of blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. It is one of the few veins in the human body that carries oxygenated, rather than deoxygenated, blood.

Structure

There are typically four pulmonary veins, two from each lung. The veins are classified as the right superior, right inferior, left superior, and left inferior pulmonary veins. However, variations in the number and arrangement of pulmonary veins are common.

Function

The primary function of the pulmonary veins is to return oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. This blood is then pumped by the heart to the rest of the body, supplying oxygen to the body's tissues.

Clinical significance

Abnormalities of the pulmonary veins can lead to several medical conditions. For example, pulmonary vein stenosis is a condition in which the veins narrow, reducing blood flow from the lungs to the heart. Pulmonary vein isolation is a procedure used to treat atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder.

See also

• Pulmonary artery
• Heart
• Blood vessel
• Atrial fibrillation
• Pulmonary vein stenosis

References

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Pulmonary_vein

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  Diagram of the human heart
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  Alveoli diagram
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  Openings of pulmonary veins
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  Computed tomograph of pulmonary vessels
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  Bronchial anatomy
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  Pulmonary vein
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  Pulmonary vein