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Superior rectal vein: anatomy, location and function

A tributary of the inferior mesenteric vein draining the rectum. It drains the upper rectum.

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Highlighted in the model: Superior rectal vein. Click any part to read about it, or switch off “Highlight topic” to see the whole body. 3D data: BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, CC BY 4.0; meshes simplified and recoloured. The model is an adult male.

Superior rectal vein at a glance

What it is
A tributary of the inferior mesenteric vein draining the rectum.
Location
It starts in the rectal venous plexus and ascends to become the inferior mesenteric vein.
Function
It drains the upper rectum.
Body system
Cardiovascular · single, midline structure
FMA ID
FMA15393 (Foundational Model of Anatomy)

Key facts

  • It forms a portosystemic anastomosis with the middle and inferior rectal veins.
  • Its tributaries form the internal rectal venous plexus above the pectinate line; internal haemorrhoids are enlargements of this plexus.

Clinical relevance

Portal hypertension may cause rectal varices at this site.

Structures next to the superior rectal vein

The nearest named structures in the 3D model, measured from the centre of each part:

References

  1. Foundational Model of Anatomy: Superior rectal vein (FMA15393). EMBL-EBI Ontology Lookup Service.
  2. OpenStax. Anatomy and Physiology 2e, §20.1 Structure and Function of Blood Vessels. Rice University, 2022.
  3. Mitsuhashi N. et al. (2009). BodyParts3D: 3D structure database for anatomical concepts. Nucleic Acids Research 37, D782–D785. Data © The Database Center for Life Science, CC BY 4.0.

Explore the whole body in the interactive 3D human anatomy model, or browse the A–Z list of human structures.