Ascending lumbar vein

The ascending lumbar vein is a vein that runs up through the lumbar region on the side of the vertebral column.

Ascending lumbar vein
The venae cavae and azygos veins with their tributaries.
Details
Drains from	Lateral sacral veins
Drains to	Azygos vein and hemiazygos vein
Identifiers
Latin	vena lumbalis ascendens
TA98	A12.3.07.011 A12.3.09.004
TA2	4757, 4771
FMA	12858
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

Structure

The ascending lumbar vein is a paired structure (i.e. one each for the right and left sides of the body). It starts at the common iliac veins. It runs superiorly, intersecting with the lumbar veins as it crosses them. It passes behind the psoas major muscle, but in front of the lumbar vertebrae.^[1]

When the ascending lumbar vein crosses the subcostal vein, it becomes one of the following:

• the azygos vein (in the case of the right ascending lumbar vein).^[1][2]
• the hemiazygos vein (in the case of the left ascending lumbar vein).^[1]

The first and second lumbar veins ends in the ascending lumbar vein (the third and fourth lumbar veins open into the posterior aspect of the inferior vena cava)

Clinical significance

Contrast medium may be injected into the ascending lumbar vein via the femoral vein in order to visualise the spinal canal.^[3]

The ascending lumbar vein may be punctured during catheterisation.^[4] This can cause bleeding into the dural space.^[4]

See also

Lumbar veins