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
Major aortopulmonary collateral artery with congenital heart diseases with decreased pulmonary blood flow like tetralogy of Fallot or pulmonary atresia it may be seen sometimes in isolation i.e. not associated with any congenital heart disease in that case it is termed as isolated aortopulmonary collateral artery. In these cases it may be one of the cause of congestive cardiac failure in neonates. Pulmonary arteries come from the right side of the heart, and usually carry deoxygenated blood from the body. These collateral arteries carry blood which has already been oxygenated by the lungs, so are of little use in helping the body to get