- Vein
In the
circulatory system , a vein is ablood vessel that carriesblood back toward theheart (as opposed toartery , a blood vessel carrying blood away from the heart). The majority of veins in the body carry low-oxygen blood from the tissues back to the heart; the exceptions being the pulmonary andumbilical vein s which both carry oxygenated blood.Anatomy
Veins function to return deoxygenated blood to the
heart , and are essentially tubes that collapse when their lumens are not filled with blood. The thick, outer-most layer of a vein is made ofcollagen , wrapped in bands ofsmooth muscle while the interior is lined with endothelial cells called intima. Most veins have one-way flaps called venous valves that prevent blood from flowing back and pooling in the lower extremities due to the effects ofgravity . The precise location of veins is much more variable from person to person than that of arteries. Veins are located on close to the surface, mean while arteries are located towards the center of the body. [cite book
last = Maton
first = Anthea
authorlink =
coauthors = Jean Hopkins, Charles William McLaughlin, Susan Johnson, Maryanna Quon Warner, David LaHart, Jill D. Wright
title = Human Biology and Health
publisher = Prentice Hall
date = 1993
location = Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
pages =
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0-13-981176-1]Function
Veins serve to return blood from organs to the heart. In
systemic circulation oxygenated blood is pumped by theleft ventricle through the arteries to the muscles and organs of the body, where its nutrients and gases are exchanged at capillaries, entering the veins filled with cellular waste andcarbon dioxide . The de-oxygen ated blood is taken by veins to theright atrium of the heart, which transfers the blood to theright ventricle , where it is then pumped through the pulmonary arteries to thelung s. Inpulmonary circulation thepulmonary vein s return oxygenated blood from the lungs to theleft atrium , which empties into the left ventricle, completing the cycle of blood circulation.The return of blood to the heart is assisted by the action of the
skeletal-muscle pump which helps maintain the extremely lowblood pressure of the venous system.Fainting can be caused by failure of the skeletal-muscular pump. Long periods of standing can result in blood pooling in the legs, with blood pressure too low to return blood to the heart. Neurogenic and hypovolaemic shock can also cause fainting. In these cases the smooth muscles surrounding the veins become slack and the veins fill with the majority of the blood in the body, keeping blood away from the brain and causing unconsciousness.The arteries are perceived as carrying oxygenated blood to the tissues, while veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart. This is true of the systemic circulation, by far the larger of the two circuits of blood in the body, which transports oxygen from the heart to the tissues of the body. However, in pulmonary circulation the arteries carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs and veins return blood from the lungs to the heart. The difference between veins and arteries is their direction of flow (out of the heart by arteries, returning to the heart for veins), not their oxygen content. In addition, deoxygenated blood that is carried from the tissues back to the heart for reoxygenation in systemic circulation still carries some oxygen, though it is considerably less than that carried by the systemic arteries or pulmonary veins.
In a functional analogy, the term "venous" in
economics refers torecycling industries, in contrast to "arterial" or production industries.Medical interest
Veins are used medically as points of access to the blood stream, permitting the withdrawal of blood specimens (
venipuncture ) for testing purposes, and intravenous delivery of fluid,electrolyte s, nutrition, and medications through injection with asyringe , or by inserting acatheter . In contrast to arterial blood which is uniform throughout the body, the blood removed from veins for testing can vary in its contents depending on the part of the body the vein drains; blood drained from a working muscle will contain significantly less oxygen andglucose than blood drained from theliver . However the more blood from different veins mixes as it returns to the heart, the more homogeneous it becomes.If an intravenous catheter has to be inserted, for most purposes this is done into a peripheral vein near the surface of the skin in the
hand orarm , or less desirably, the leg. Some highly concentrated fluids or irritating medications must flow into the large central veins, which are sometimes used when peripheral access cannot be obtained. Catheters can be threaded into thesuperior vena cava for these uses: if long term use is thought to be needed, a more permanent access point can be inserted surgically.Common diseases
The most common vein disorder is venous insufficiency, usually manifested by spider veins or
varicose veins . A variety of treatments are used depending on the patient's particular type and pattern of veins and on the physician's preferences. Treatment can include radio-frequency ablation,vein stripping ,ambulatory phlebectomy , foamsclerotherapy ,laser s or compression.Deep vein thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis is a condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein, which can lead to
pulmonary embolism and chronic venous insufficiency.Phlebology
Phlebology is the medical discipline that involves the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of venous origin. Diagnostic techniques used include the history and physical examination, venous imaging techniques and laboratory evaluation related to venous thromboembolism. The American Medical Association has added phlebology to their list of Self-Designated Practice Specialties. The [http://www.phlebology.org American College of Phlebology] is a professional organization of physicians and health care professionals from a variety of backgrounds. [http://www.acpcongress.org ACP Meetings] are conducted to facilitate learning and sharing of knowledge regarding venous disease. The equivalent body for countries in the Pacific is the Australasian College of Phlebology, active in Australia and New Zealand.
Notable veins and vein systems
The Greater Saphenous vein (GSV) is the most important superficial vein of the lower limb. First described by the Persian physician Avicenna, Saphenous derives its name from "Safina", meaning hidden. This vein is 'hidden' in its own fascial compartment in the thigh and only exits the fascia near the knee. Incompetence of this vein is an important cause of varicose veins of lower limbs.
The
pulmonary vein s carry relatively oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. The superior and inferior venae cavae carry relatively deoxygenated blood from the upper and lower systemic circulations, respectively.A portal venous system is a series of veins or venules that directly connect two
capillary bed s. Examples of such systems include thehepatic portal vein andhypophyseal portal system .Color
The blood carried by veins is dark red due to its high percentage of CO2 as it returns to the heart (in contrast to the high levels of O2 in arterial blood, which is bright red). Veins appear blue because the subcutaneous fat in the skin absorbs lower-frequency light, permitting only the highly energetic blue wavelengths to penetrate through to the dark vein and reflect off. This physical effect is also present in the iris of blue eyes (pigmentless iris in the front, dark
retina in the back) and is calledRayleigh scattering .Types of veins
Veins can be classified into:
*portal vein vs. non-portal (most common)
*superficial vein s vs.deep vein s
*pulmonary vein s vs.systemic vein sList of important named veins
*Jugular vein s
*Pulmonary vein s
*Portal vein
*Azygos vein
*Superior vena cava
*Inferior vena cava
*Iliac vein
*Femoral vein
*Popliteal vein
*Great saphenous vein
*Small saphenous vein Names of important venule systems
*Portal venous system
*Systemic venous system ee also
*
Peripheral vein
*Deep vein
*Deep vein thrombosis
*Superficial vein
*Varicose veins
*Pulmonary circulation References
External links
* [http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec03/ch036/ch036a.html Merck Manual article on veins.]
* [http://www.phlebology.org/ American College of Phlebology]
* [http://www.americanboardofphlebology.org/ American Board of Phlebology]
* [http://www.phlebologyfoundation.org/ American College of Phlebology Foundation]
* [http://www.phlebology.com.au/forms/selmenu.aspx?selmenu=5 Australasian College of Phlebology] Information from the Australasian College of Phlebology Website
* [http://ocw.dmc.keio.ac.jp/economics/02A-003_e/lecture_contents/ln03e.pdf In economics: Arterial and venous industries]
* [http://www.simmed.com/Demo/Default.aspx Animated Venous Access tutorials]cientific publications
* [http://www.medi-data.co.uk/phlebology/index.htm Phlebology - international journal of venous diseases]
* [http://phleb.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/content/rsm/phleb Phlebology: The Journal of Venous Disease]
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