Left gastric vein

Left gastric vein
The portal vein and its tributaries.
Details
Drains from	lesser curvature of the stomach
Drains to	portal vein
Identifiers
Latin	vena gastrica sinistra
Dorlands /Elsevier	v_05/12850399
TA	A12.3.12.015
FMA	15399
Anatomical terminology []

The left gastric vein (or coronary vein) carries blood low in oxygen, tributaries derived from both surfaces of the stomach; it runs from right to left along the lesser curvature of the stomach, between the two layers of the lesser omentum, to the esophageal opening of the stomach, where it receives some esophageal veins.

It then turns backward and passes from left to right behind the omental bursa and drains into the portal vein. Thus, it acts as collaterals between the portal veins and the systemic venous system of the lower esophagus (azygous vein).

Esophageal and paraesophageal varices are supplied primarily by the left gastric vein (due to flow reversal) and typically drain into the azygos/hemiazygos venous system.

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)