Anterior Superior Pancreaticoduodenal Vein
Vena pancreaticoduodenale superior anterior
Read moreQuick Facts
Origin: Ventral superior surface of duodenum and pancreatic head.
Course: Circular course along the ventral surface of the pancreas with variable drainage locations.
Tributaries: Venous arcades.
Drainage: Ventral superior pancreatic head and duodenum.
Origin
The anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein arises along the ventral surface of the pancreatic head and often forms a venous arcade with the anterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal vein counterpart.
Course
The anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein takes a circular course along the ventral surface of the superior pancreatic head. The terminal drainage point can be variable for this vein. There are two common courses for this vein to drain. The first is for the anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein to join with its posterior counterpart as the superior pancreaticoduodenal vein, which drains into the hepatic portal vein directly. The second is for the anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein to join the right gastroomental vein, which drains into the superior mesenteric vein directly (Standring, 2016).
Tributaries
The anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein receives small venous arcades.
Structures Drained
The anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein drains the ventral surface of the distal first and second portion of the duodenum and the ventral surface of the pancreatic head.
List of Clinical Correlates
- Whipple procedure
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41 edn.: Elsevier Limited.
