Case

A patient comes to your clinic presenting with swollen, edematous lower extremities and intestinal discomfort. Physical examination shows normal heart and lung sounds. Upon taking patient history you learn that the patient underwent thoracic surgery for an esophageal cancer 9 days before .

Question 2/2 - What structures would you expect to find approximately on each of the cardinal axis from the thoracic duct (i.e. to the left, right, anterior and posterior to the duct)?

Type and option and then click the answer link to show the correct answer

Case Complete



The aorta is to the left of the thoracic duct.



The azygos vein runs to the right of the thoracic duct.



The esophagus is directly anterior to the thoracic duct. This is why the duct is at risk during esophageal surgery due to the close proximity. 



The vertebral bodies (and intervertebral disks) are posterior to the thoracic duct.

Technically, a ligament we haven't met yet, the anterior longitudinal ligament, is directly posterior to the thoracic duct. That ligament we will study at a later time with the musculoskeletal systems in MS2 as it pertains to spinal stability.  For now we'll just think of the vertebral bodies and intervertebral disks as posterior to the duct, which they are but just not immediately posterior to the duct.