The document summarizes the lymphatic drainage of major organs. It describes how the lymphatic vessels from the gastrointestinal tract drain into lymph nodes along blood vessels and ultimately into the cisterna chyli and thoracic duct. It also outlines the lymphatic drainage patterns of the liver, spleen, male and female genital tracts, and mediastinum.

1. Lymphatic Drainage of Major
Organs

2. LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE OF
GIT

3. lymphatic drainage
 lymphatic capillaries in the
interstitial space, organized into
lymphatic vessels and lymph
nodes [located along the course of
the blood vessels and are named
accordingly. e.g. left gastric
nodes, splenic nodes, paraaortic
nodes, coeliac nodes etc.]
 All lymph of GIT drains into the
cisterna chyli, thoracic duct, finally
drains into the left subclavian vein.

4. lymphatic drainage of the oesophagus
 cervical oesophagus drains into deep cervical
nodes
 thoracicoesophagus drains into posterior
mediastinal nodes
 abdominal oesophagus drains into preaortic
and coeliac nodes

5. lymphatic drainage of the stomach
 Area I
superior 2/3 rd drains along Lt. and Rt. gastric
vessels to aortic nodes
 Area II
drains along Rt. gastroepiploic vessel to
subpyloric nodes then into aortic nodes
 Area III
drains along short gastric, splenic
vessels, superior pancreatic nodes then into
aortic nodes

6. Lt. gastric nodes
cisterna chyli
Rt. Gastric nodes III
aortic nodes I splenic nodes
superior pancreatic nodes
Subpyloric nodes
II

7. lymphatic drainage of the small
intestine
 drains into superior mesenteric nodes

8. lymphatic drainage of the large
intestine
 drains into the central nodes located at
the origin of the superior and inferior
mesenteric arteries
 through epicolic, paracolic, intermediate
nodes

9. epicolic nodes
paracolic nodes
intermediate nodes
central group of nodes

10. lymphatic drainage of the rectum
drain into
 pararectal nodes
 nodes along vessels supplying the rectum and then into
 para-aortic nodes at the origin of the IMA
drainage is mainly upwards
 upper half
along superior rectal vessels to inferior mesenteric
nodes
 lower half
along middle rectal vessels to internal iliac nodes

11. lymphatic drainage of the anal canal
 upper canal drains into internal iliac nodes
 lower part drains into superficial inguinal nodes

13. clinical relevance
 Drainage area of particular group of lymph
nodes
 Primary site of pathology
 Spread of infection
 Spread of malignant tumours (lymphatic
spread)
 Stagingof disease ( TNM classification )
 Treatment
 Prognosis

14. Lymphatic Drainage of
Mediastinum

15. Lymphatic Drainage
 50 tracheobronchial lymph nodes :
Some of the largest lymph nodes in the
body.
Include:
Paratracheal
Superior tracheobronchial
Inferior tracheobroncial
Bronchopulmonary
Pulmonary

16. Lymph Drainage of Thoracic Cavity
 Parasternal nodes:
- Lie behind sternum along course of internal
thoracic artery.
- Receive lymph from thoracic wall, upper
anterior abdominal wall, and diaphragm.
- Also receive significant amount of lymph from
mammary gland.
-Drain into parasternal lymph channel.

17.  Posterior intercostal nodes:
-Lie in posterior intercostal space between
heads of ribs.
-Receive lymph from thoracic wall and
paravertebral regions.
-Drain into thoracic duct:
From left and lower right.
-Drain into right lymphatic duct:
From upper right.

18.  Diaphragmatic nodes:
-Lie on upper surface of diaphragm.
-Receive lymph from
diaphragm, pericardium, upper surface of liver.
-Drain to parasternal and posterior
mediastinal nodes.

19.  Posterior mediastinal nodes:
Lie along esophagus and descending
thoracic aorta.
 Brachiocephalic nodes:
Lie along brachiocephalic veins.

20.  Lymph Trunks
Bronchiomediastinal lymph trunks receive lymph
from:
-Posterior mediastinal nodes
-Brachiocephalic nodes
-Tracheobronchial nodes
-Parasternal nodes

21.  Thoracic Duct
-Begins in abdomen on right side of midline.
-Receives most of lymph from body below
diaphragm.
-Drains left side of thoracic cavity and part of
right.
-Receives lymph from left internal jugular lymph
CONTD
trunk. …

22. -Receives lymph from left subclavian lymph
trunk.
-Empties into venous system at junction of:
Left internal jugular vein.
Left subclavian vein.

23.  Right Lymphatic Duct:
-Drains upper right thoracic cavity, right upper
extremity, and right side of head and neck.
-Empties into venous system at junction of:
Right internal jugular vein.
Right subclavian vein.

24. Lymphatic Drainage of
Liver, Spleen & Gall Bladder

25. Liver
 Superficial
and most deep lymph vessels
converge at the porta and end in the hepatic
lymph nodes (eg. Cystic LN near GB neck or
LN of omental foramen)
 Hepatic LN’s drain into coeliac LN’s around
the coeliac trunk, then thoracic duct
 Some deep lymph vessels follow hepatic
veins to IVC foramen in diaphragm and end in
middle phrenic LN’s

26. Biliary Duct
 Cystic LN, node of omental foramen, hepatic
LN’s

27. Spleen
 Pancreaticosplenic LN’s

28. Lymphatic Drainage of Male
Genital Tract

29. Lymph Drainage of the Scrotum
 Lymph from the skin
and fascia, including
the tunica
vaginalis, drains into
the superficial
inguinal lymph nodes
.

30. Lymphatic Drainage of The
Testes
 para-aortic lymph
nodes.

31. Lymphatics of The Prostate
 Lymph vessels terminate in internal iliac and
sacral lymph nodes
 Some vessels from posterior surface pass
with lymph vessels from bladder to external
iliac LN’s

32. Lymphatics of The Penis
 The skin of the penis is drained into the medial
group of superficial inguinal nodes.
 The deep structures of the penis are drained
into the internal iliac nodes.

33. Lymphatic Drainage of Female
Genital Tract

34. Nodes Primary Afferent Connections
Aortic/Paraaortic Ovary, fallopian tubes, upper uterine corpus; drainage from
common iliac nodes
Common Iliac Drainage from external and internal iliac nodes
External Iliac Upper vagina, cervix, upper uterine corpus; drainage from
inguinal nodes
Internal Iliac Upper vagina, cervix, lower uterine corpus
Lateral Sacral
Superior Gluteal
Inferior Gluteal
Obturator
Vescical
Rectal
Parauterine
Inguinal Vulva, lower vagina; (rare: uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries)
Superficial
Deep

35. Lumbar lymphatic
trunks
Paraaortic nodes
Common iliac nodes
Sacral nodes
Lymphatics Internal iliac nodes
of the
Female Pelvis External iliac nodes
Obturator nodes
Inguinal nodes
Parametrial nodes