[An anatomical variation: the aberrant termination of the thoracic duct].
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Single cadaveric case report
What was done
Anatomical dissection of a single male cadaver at the Department of Morphology, Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia, documenting the course and drainage site of the thoracic lymph duct alongside a discussion of its embryological origin.
What was found
The thoracic duct showed an aberrant drainage pattern: rather than ascending and diverging to the left side of the neck to drain into the left jugulo-subclavian junction (left internal jugular or subclavian vein), the duct diverged to the right side of the neck and terminated in the right internal jugular vein. The abstract reports no quantitative measurements or prevalence figures.
Why it matters
Awareness of rare variations in thoracic duct termination is important to prevent iatrogenic lymphatic injury during surgical interventions and central venous catheterization in the right neck and thoracic inlet.
Limits
Single cadaver case report (n = 1), preventing any estimation of prevalence or frequency. Clinical history, in vivo physiological consequences, and other concurrent cardiovascular or lymphatic anomalies were not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports The left thoracic duct drains lymph from both legs, the torso, and the left upper body into the subclavian veins.