In front of the elbow it gives off a large branch, the median
cubital vein, which slants upwards and medially to join the basilic vein. After crossing the elbow joint the cephalic vein passes up the lateral aspect of the arm and in front of the shoulder joint to end in the axillary vein. Throughout its length it receives blood from the superficial tissues on the lateral aspects of the hand, forearm and arm. The basilic vein begins at the back of the hand on the ulnar aspect. It ascends on the medial side of the forearm and upper arm then joins the axillary vein. It receives blood from the medial aspect of the hand, forearm and arm. There are many small veins which link the cephalic and basilic veins. The median vein is a small vein that is not always pres- ent. It begins at the palmar surface of the hand, ascends on the front of the forearm and ends in the basilic vein or the median cubital vein. The brachiocephalic vein is formed when the subclavian and internal jugular veins unite. There is one on each side. The superior vena cava is formed when the two brachio- cephalic veins unite. It drains all the venous blood from the head, neck and upper limbs and terminates in the escending aorta in the thorax This part of the aorta is continuous with the arch of the aorta and begins at the level of the !th thoracic vertebra. It extends downwards on the anterior surface of the bod- ies of the thoracic vertebrae "#ig. $.!%& to the level of the '%th thoracic vertebra, where it passes behind the diaphragm to become the abdominal aorta. The descending aorta in the thorax gives off many paired branches which supply the walls of the thoracic cavity and the organs within the cavity, including( bronchial arteries that supply the bronchi and their branches, connective tissue in the lungs and the lymph nodes at the root of the lungs oesophageal arteries that supply the oesophagus intercostal arteries that run along the inferior border of the ribs and supply the intercostal muscles, some muscles of the thorax, the ribs, the skin and its underlying connective tissues.
Venous return from the thoracic cavity
)ost of the venous blood from the organs in the thoracic cavity is drained into the azygos vein and the hemiazygos vein "#ig. $.!*&. +ome of the main veins which join them are right atrium. It is about , cm long and passes along the right border of the sternum. downwards the bronchial, oesophageal and intercostal veins. The a-ygos 103 Right internal jugular vein----tl Right subclavian vein--t'"t;:< Left internal vein Trachea rt-----iugular Right subclavian artery Left subclavian vein ----: !rachi"ce#halic $--%-%- artery RighI brachi"- ce#halic vein &u#eri"r----:'""'--::()* vena cava ::++++++::,"--!r"nchus br"nchial arteries an- &u#eri"r vena cava -I;<-+.-*:-%--/e0ia1yg"s vein Interc"stal.---23 veins -4*"""**"""-+i:---Th"racic a"rta an- its branches Right 15th Figure 5.42 The a"rta an- its 0ain branches in the th"ra6* Figure 5.43 The su#eri"r vena cava an- the 0ain veins "f the th"ra6*