Bronchial veins (anatomy)

The bronchial veins form part of the venous drainage system of the lung with the pulmonary veins. It can be divided into two sections:

• deep system:
  • drains lung parenchyma deep to segmental divisions
  • drains into:
    • pulmonary veins between segmental septae
    • left atrium
• superficial system:
  • drains:
    • the visceral pleura
    • the segmental and subsegmental regions of lung parenchyma in the region of the hilum
  • on the right, the bronchial veins converge on a main trunk which passes into the azygous vein
• on the left, the bronchial veins converge on a main trunk which drains to:
  • the accessory hemiazygous vein or
  • left superior intercostal vein
  • both trunks may receive tracheal and mediastinal veins before passing to the next major vein