Quick Facts
Location: Along the inferior mesenteric artery.
Drainage: Distal transverse colon, descending and sigmoid colon, and rectum.
Direction of Flow: preaortic and lateral aortic lymph nodes > intestinal trunk and left lumbar trunk > cisterna chyli > thoracic duct.
Related parts of the anatomy
Description:
Description: (Location & Drainage)
The inferior mesenteric lymph vessels are located along the inferior mesenteric artery. The vessels receive lymph from the left colic, sigmoid, and superior anorectal lymph nodes, which drain the distal part of the transverse colon, the descending colon, sigmoid colon, and the rectum, respectively (i.e., the hindgut derivatives). The inferior mesenteric lymph vessels join with the preaortic and lateral aortic lymph nodes, which join the intestinal and left lumbar trunks for lymphatic return to the cisterna chyli (Földi et al., 2012).
References
Földi, M., Földi, E., Strößenreuther, R. and Kubik, S. (2012) Földi's Textbook of Lymphology: for Physicians and Lymphedema Therapists. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Description:
Description: (Location & Drainage)
The inferior mesenteric lymph vessels are located along the inferior mesenteric artery. The vessels receive lymph from the left colic, sigmoid, and superior rectal lymph nodes, which drain the distal part of the transverse colon, the descending colon, sigmoid colon, and the rectum, respectively (i.e., the hindgut derivatives). The inferior mesenteric lymph vessels join with the preaortic and lateral aortic lymph nodes, which join the intestinal and left lumbar trunks for lymphatic return to the cisterna chyli (Földi et al., 2012).
