Kopsuveen

Kopsuveen is the Estonian term for the pulmonary vein, a vessel that forms part of the pulmonary circulation by returning oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart. After gas exchange in the pulmonary capillaries, the blood travels through the pulmonary veins to enable delivery of oxygen-rich blood to the systemic circulation.

Anatomy and drainage patterns vary among individuals. In most adults, there are four main pulmonary veins—two from the left lung and two from the right—each draining separately into the left atrium. The veins may run as distinct branches or form common trunks before entering the heart. Anatomic variations can include additional veins or atypical drainage patterns, though the four-vein pattern is the most common.

Function and physiology are straightforward: the pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood away from the lungs and into the left atrium, where it passes to the left ventricle and then to the rest of the body. This makes the pulmonary veins a critical component of the systemic oxygen delivery system, distinguishing them from the pulmonary arteries, which bring deoxygenated blood to the lungs.

Clinical significance encompasses congenital and acquired conditions. Congenital anomalies include anomalous pulmonary venous return, where veins drain abnormally into the right heart or systemic veins, and pulmonary vein stenosis, which narrows the veins and can cause pulmonary hypertension. In adults, pulmonary veins can be involved in complications after lung procedures or transplantation and are evaluated using imaging modalities such as echocardiography, CT, or MRI. Understanding kopsuveen anatomy is essential for accurate diagnosis and surgical planning when venous abnormalities are suspected.