Right colic vein

At a glance

English

Right colic vein

Latin (TA2)

Vena colica dextra

System

Vein

Region

Trunk

Side

Single, on the midline

About the right colic vein

Blood from the ascending colon and the region of the hepatic flexure is carried by the right colic vein. Like the other colic veins it belongs to the portal system, so its blood is filtered by the liver before reaching the heart. It runs with the right colic artery, a branch of the superior mesenteric artery, though the vein and artery do not always follow exactly the same course.

Its tributaries leave the wall of the ascending colon and join the marginal venous arcade that runs along the inner border of the colon. Here the arcade links it below with the ileocolic vein and above with the right branch of the middle colic vein. The trunk of the right colic vein then runs medially behind the parietal peritoneum of the posterior abdominal wall, in front of the right kidney, the right ureter and the right gonadal vessels, and crosses towards the midline.

It ends in the superior mesenteric vein. In many people it does not enter that vein on its own but joins the gastrocolic trunk of Henle together with the right gastro-omental vein, close to the lower border of the pancreatic head. It is a relatively small and inconstant vein, and it may be absent, its territory then drained by the ileocolic or middle colic veins.

The vein is an important structure in right hemicolectomy, the operation to remove the right side of the colon. Surgeons divide it near its origin so that the lymph nodes along it are removed, and must take care at Henle's trunk, where tearing can cause heavy bleeding from the superior mesenteric vein. Because the posterior abdominal wall structures lie just behind it, the plane between the mesocolon and the kidney and duodenum must be found carefully when the colon is mobilised.

Course and drainage

Begins at

Formed by tributaries from the ascending colon and the marginal venous arcade near the hepatic flexure.

Drains into

Passes medially behind the peritoneum to open into the superior mesenteric vein, often via the gastrocolic trunk near the head of the pancreas.

Drains

Drains the ascending colon and hepatic flexure into the portal system.