A patient develops a form of lung cancer that spreads to occlude the thoracic duct. Edema involving which of the following sites might be expected as a potential complication?
The right lymphatic duct drains the right arm, the right side of the chest, and the right side of the head. The thoracic duct drains the rest of the body. Both the right lymphatic duct and the thoracic duct dump into the large venous channels at the base of the neck. Occlusion of this drainage can produce intractable edema in sites feeding these ducts. The left side and right leg would be affected, rather than the right side and left leg. The entire left side (rather than just the left arm) and right leg drain into the thoracic duct. The right arm and the right half of the head drain to the right lymphatic duct. Ref: Moon D.A., Foreman K.B., Albeine K.H. (2011). Chapter 26. Triangles and Root of the Neck. In D.A. Moon, K.B. Foreman, K.H. Albeine (Eds), The Big Picture: Gross Anatomy
Entire left side and right leg
Entire right side and left leg
Left arm only
Right arm and right half of head only