Quick Facts
Location: Neck.
Drainage: Right upper limb and right half of thorax.
Direction of Flow: Right lymphatic duct > right brachiocephalic vein.
Related parts of the anatomy
Description
The subclavian trunk is formed by efferent lymphatic vessels from the axillary lymph nodes. The right subclavian trunk follows the axillary and subclavian veins, conveying lymph from the right upper limb and superficial tissue of the right side of the thorax and abdomen, down as far as the umbilicus. The right subclavian trunk may join with the bronchomediastinal and jugular trunks, thus, forming the right lymphatic duct. The right lymphatic duct returns lymph to the venous system via the right brachiocephalic vein, at the junction between the internal jugular and subclavian veins.
However, the right lymphatic trunk is a highly variable structure, where it may not receive one of the trunks named above. Additionally, it is normal for the right lymphatic trunk not to form at all, and the terminals of the right bronchomediastinal, jugular, and subclavian trunks end directly in the venous system (Földi et al., 2012; Tubbs, Shoja and Loukas, 2016).
References
Földi, M., Földi, E., Strößenreuther, R. and Kubik, S. (2012) Földi's Textbook of Lymphology: for Physicians and Lymphedema Therapists. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Tubbs, R. S., Shoja, M. M. and Loukas, M. (2016) Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation. Wiley.
