General Anatomy of the Lymphatic System

Abstract

Lymphatic drainage from an anatomic site tends to be quite anatomically specific. Variation in drainage patterns may be related to individual variation in anatomy or to alteration of drainage pathways by processes such as disease, injury, or surgical treatment. Tumor cells or small groups of tumor cells enter the lymphatic system though the lymphatic saccules and then travel by embolization through the afferent lymphatics. Tumor cells in the afferent lymphatics may travel to a regional node and lodge in the node, or they may bypass the node via alternative channels. Coming from the lymph nodes are efferent lymphatics, which coalesce into collecting ducts that eventually drain into the large veins at the base of the neck, but there are many alternative smaller venous communications.