Lymphatics of the mediastinum (Latin)

Several groups of nll. mediastinales (nll. viscerales thoracis) are visible. The nll. brachiocephalici/nll. mediastinales anteriores are located in the mediastinum superius anterior to the great vessels. The nll. tracheobronchiales/nll. mediastinales intermedii surround the bifurcatio tracheae, as well as the superior and inferior aspects of the bronchi principales. The nll. juxtaesophageales, nl. interaorticooesophagealis and nll. juxtaaortici lymph nodes are commonly grouped as nll. mediastinales posteriores. They drain adjacent organs, vessels and tissues of the mediastinum posterius and send efferents to the nll. paratracheales and ductus lymphaticus dexter/thoracicus.Nll. lymphoidei parietales thoracis visible in this illustration include the nll. intercostales, nll. juxtavertebrales and nll. diaphragmatici superiores. They collect the lymph from the mm. profundi dorsi and mm. intercostales, the pleura parietalis and columna vertebralis. Lymph drained from the upper nll. intercostales (approx. levels 1-7) drains into a common truncus intercostalis destined for the nll. supraclaviculares while the lower nll. intercostales often drain below the diaphragma to the nll. Gastrici, nll. coeliaci/ or cisterna chyli before ultimately reaching the ductus thoracicis. Efferent vessels of the nll. juxtavertebrales may follow a similar drainage pattern and/or alternatively pass via the nll. mediastinales posteriores. The nll. diaphragmatici superiores drain the diaphragm, pars diaphragmatica pericardii/pleurae. They usually drain to the nll. parasternales (not shown) or nll. mediastinales posteriores.