Pulmonary veins

Looks like

Four wide veins carrying bright red blood from the lungs into the left atrium.

What it does

Return oxygen-rich blood to the heart — the only veins that do.

Keeping it well

Nothing routine; their openings are where atrial fibrillation starts and where ablation burns.

Its parts

• Intrapulmonary part of right superior pulmonary vein
• Intrapulmonary part of right inferior pulmonary vein
• Right inferior pulmonary vein
• Left inferior pulmonary vein
• Right superior pulmonary vein
• Left superior pulmonary vein
• Intrapulmonary part of left superior pulmonary vein
• Intrapulmonary part of left inferior pulmonary vein

Related conditions

• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Clotting disorders (thrombophilia & APS)
• Deep vein thrombosis
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hypothermia & frostbite
• Kawasaki disease
• Metabolic syndrome
• Orthostatic hypotension & POTS
• Peripheral artery disease
• Phaeochromocytoma & hyperaldosteronism
• Pre-eclampsia
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Sepsis
• Shock (circulatory failure)
• Varicose veins
• Vasculitis (GCA & others)