Answer to Question #229005 in Human Anatomy and Physiology for Moe

Question

Can you account for this asymmetry between the adrenal veins?

Answer 1

The venous drainage of the adrenal (suprarenal) glands is typically comprised of a single vein draining each adrenal gland. Each side drains differently: left adrenal vein drains into the left renal vein while the right adrenal vein drains directly into the inferior vena cava.

The right adrenal vein is shorter (4 to 15 mm in length) than the left adrenal vein. It enters the right posterolateral surface of the inferior vena cava at a level between the eleventh and twelfth ribs. The central vein of the left adrenal gland joins the left inferior phrenic vein to form an adrenophrenic trunk entering the cranial surface of the left renal vein opposite to the gonadal vein. The superficial veins of the left adrenal gland communicate with the retroperitoneal, renal capsular, and azygos veins.