Right gastro-omental nodes

At a glance

English

Right gastro-omental nodes

Latin (TA2)

Nodi gastroomentales dextri

System

Lymphatic

Region

Trunk

Side

Single, on the midline

About the right gastro-omental nodes

The greater curvature of the stomach is lined by two node groups that follow its arteries. On the left half lie the left gastro-omental nodes along the left gastro-omental artery from the spleen; on the right half lie the right gastro-omental nodes along the right gastro-omental artery, which comes from the gastroduodenal artery behind the first part of the duodenum.

The right gastro-omental artery runs to the left between the layers of the greater omentum, a short distance below the greater curvature, giving branches up to the stomach and down into the omentum. The nodes are spread along it in the omentum, and near the pylorus they lead to the subpyloric nodes beneath the duodenum, close to the head of the pancreas.

These nodes receive lymph from the front and back walls of the right part of the greater curvature and from the greater omentum hanging below. Their efferent vessels run to the right to the pyloric nodes, then follow the gastroduodenal artery up to the hepatic nodes and on to the coeliac nodes.

Cancer of the lower body and antrum of the stomach often spreads to this group early. In gastrectomy the greater omentum and these nodes are removed together, the right gastro-omental vessels being divided at their origin under the pylorus. Their state is part of tumour staging and guides whether chemotherapy is given.

Course and drainage

Begins at

Afferent vessels from the right half of the greater curvature of the stomach, front and back, and from the greater omentum.

Drains into

Efferent vessels pass to the pyloric and subpyloric nodes, then to the hepatic nodes and the coeliac nodes.

Drains

Drain the lower greater curvature and the greater omentum. An early station for cancer of the distal stomach, removed with the omentum at gastrectomy and used in staging.