Pulmonary vein three and five in the healthy population. The two left lobar veins may be united as a single pulmonary vein in about 25% of people; the two right veins may be united in about 3%. The pulmonary veins play an essential role in respiration, by receiving blood that has been oxygenated in the alveoli and returning it to the left atrium. As part of the pulmonary circulation they carry oxygenated blood back to the heart, as opposed to the veins of the systemic circulation which carry deoxygenated blood. A rare genetic defect of the pulmonary veins can cause them to
Superficial vein thrombosis Superficial vein thrombosis Superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) is a type blood clot in a vein, which forms in a superficial vein near the surface of the body. Usually there is thrombophlebitis, which is an inflammatory reaction around a thrombosed vein, presenting as a painful induration with redness. SVT itself has limited significance (in terms of direct morbidity and mortality) when compared to a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which occurs deeper in the body at the deep venous system level. However, SVT can lead to serious complications (as well as signal other serious problems, such as genetic mutations that increase one's