{"id":1160,"date":"2020-07-23T08:23:38","date_gmt":"2020-07-23T08:23:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/test\/head-and-neck\/lymphatics\/"},"modified":"2021-01-10T22:57:40","modified_gmt":"2021-01-10T21:57:40","slug":"lymphatics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/skull-head-and-neck\/neurovasculature\/lymphatics\/","title":{"rendered":"Lymphatics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"intro\">The lymphatic system\u00a0is a collection of vessels and special organs known as lymphoid organs. They are important for the absorption and transport of lipids, mobilization of excess extracellular fluid, waste, and immune surveillance.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n<span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_1\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">The basics<\/h3>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_1\">\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_2\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">Components<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_2\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The fluid that flows through this system is known as <strong>lymph<\/strong>&nbsp;and consists of fluids filtered from the extracellular matrix \u2014 mostly from the blood.<\/li><li><strong>Lymphoid organs<\/strong> are divided into <strong>primary <\/strong>and <strong>secondary<\/strong>:<ul><li>Primary lymphoid organs include those where immune cells divide and develop: the<strong> bone marrow<\/strong> and <strong>thymus<\/strong>.<\/li><li>Secondary lymphoid organs include those where most immune reactions occur: <strong>lymph nodes<\/strong>, <strong>spleen<\/strong>, <strong>tonsils <\/strong>(<strong>Waldeyer&#8217;s tonsillary ring<\/strong>), <strong>MALT <\/strong>(<strong>mucous-associated lymphatic tissue<\/strong>).<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>Lymph nodes&nbsp;<\/strong>are small, bean-shaped structures located in very important locations throughout our bodies, they contain a filtration system consisting of specialized immune cells.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/lymphatics.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Lymphatics\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/lymphatics-600x468.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15522\"\/><\/a><figcaption><strong>Figure 1. Venous angles and main lymphatic vessels<\/strong>&nbsp;(Credit: OpenStax,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_3\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">The lymphatic flow of the body<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_3\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In general, all the lymph from the right quadrant of the body drains to the<strong>&nbsp;lymphatic trunk<\/strong>&nbsp;(or&nbsp;<strong>duct<\/strong>), and the remaining \u00be are to the&nbsp;<strong>thoracic duct<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The final destination for these two vessels are the&nbsp;<strong>venous angles&nbsp;<\/strong>(or&nbsp;<strong>angulus venosus<\/strong>) which are the&nbsp;<strong>joining point of the internal jugular vein and the subclavian vein<\/strong>&nbsp;on each side<\/li><li>As they drain to the venous angle, the lymph re-enters the general circulation<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_4\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Head and Neck<\/h3>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_4\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lymphatics of each structure and organ is discussed separately, but as far as we\u2019re concerned regarding the general lymphatics of the head and neck, this lesson covers the basics of what you need to now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of the approximately 800 lymph nodes in the body, over 300 are located in the head and neck, making it an extremely important location for diagnosis.<br>In the head and neck, we have to know that there are two groups of lymph nodes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Superficial chain nodes<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Deep lymph nodes<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The superficial chain nodes drain to the deep lymph nodes, and then reaches the thoracic duct and lymphatic trunk.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_5\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">Superficial chain nodes<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_5\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These lymph nodes are located close to the surface and can be palpated (except the face and scalp \u2014 which are free from lymph nodes):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"pure-table\"><thead><tr><th>Nodal group<\/th><th>Drains<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Submandibular<\/strong><\/td><td>Nose, upper lip, cheeks<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Submental<\/strong><\/td><td>Upper lip, chin<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Parotid<\/strong><\/td><td>Upper nose, orbit, anterior ear, forehead, anterior scalp<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Mastoid<\/strong><\/td><td>Middle scalp, posterior ear<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Occipital<\/strong><\/td><td>Posterior scalp<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Superficial cervical<\/strong><\/td><td>Drains all of the above, and the skin of the neck<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption><strong>Table 1. Superficial lymph nodes <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/hn_nodes.png\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Lymphatics\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/hn_nodes-600x528.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15525\"\/><\/a><figcaption><strong>Figure 2. Superficial chain nodes<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The superficial chain all drains to the superficial or deep cervical lymph nodes, including the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The retropharyngeal<\/li><li>Paratracheal<\/li><li>Other lymph nodes in the head and neck region<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_6\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">Deep lymph nodes<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_6\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The deep lymph nodes are located deep within in the facial and neck tissues, and in proximity to the carotid sheath and internal jugular vein:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"pure-table\"><thead><tr><th>Nodal group<\/th><th>Drains<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Jugulo-digastric<\/strong><\/td><td>Pharynx, posterior tongue and tonsils<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Retropharyngeal nodes<\/strong><\/td><td>Middle scalp, posterior ear<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Jugulo-omohyoid<\/strong><\/td><td>Palate \u2014 soft and hard, as well as the nasal cavity<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Deep cervical lymph nodes (for example: paratracheal)<\/strong><\/td><td>Larynx and structures below it<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption><strong>Table 2. Deep lymph nodes<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/deep_nodes1.png\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Lymphatics\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/deep_nodes1-600x528.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15527\"\/><\/a><figcaption><strong>Figure 3. Deep lymph nodes<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of the deep lymph nodes empty into the jugular lymph trunk, which joins the thoracic duct on the left side and the lymphatic duct (trunk) on the right side, at the venous angle.<\/p>\n<\/span><div id=\"the_titles\" style=\"display:none;\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The basics<\/h3><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Components<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The lymphatic flow of the body<\/h4><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Head and Neck<\/h3><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Superficial chain nodes<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Deep lymph nodes<\/h4><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The basics Components The fluid that flows through this system is known as lymph&nbsp;and consists of fluids filtered from the extracellular matrix \u2014 mostly from the blood. Lymphoid organs are divided into primary and secondary: Primary lymphoid organs include those where immune cells divide and develop: the bone marrow and thymus. Secondary lymphoid organs include [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1194,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1160","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Lymphatics &#8211; Meddists<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/skull-head-and-neck\/neurovasculature\/lymphatics\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/meddists.com\\\/learn\\\/pre-clinical\\\/anatomy\\\/skull-head-and-neck\\\/neurovasculature\\\/lymphatics\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/meddists.com\\\/learn\\\/pre-clinical\\\/anatomy\\\/skull-head-and-neck\\\/neurovasculature\\\/lymphatics\\\/\",\"name\":\"Lymphatics &#8211; 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