The paraaortic lymph nodes (also known as para-aortic, periaortic, peri-aortic, and lumbar) are a group of lymph node

Lymph node

A lymph node is a small ball or an oval-shaped organ of the immune system, distributed widely throughout the body including the armpit and stomach/gut and linked by lymphatic vessels. Lymph nodes are garrisons of B, T, and other immune cells. Lymph nodes are found all through the body, and act as...

s that lie in front of the lumbar vertebral bodies near the aorta

Aorta

The aorta is the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it branches off into two smaller arteries...

. These lymph nodes receive drainage from the lower gastrointestinal tract

Gastrointestinal tract

The human gastrointestinal tract refers to the stomach and intestine, and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. ....

 and the pelvic

Pelvis

In human anatomy, the pelvis is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the lower limbs .The pelvis includes several structures:...

 organs.

Divisions

The paraaortic lymph node group is divided into three subgroups: preaortic, retroaortic, and right and left lateral aortic.

• The preaortic group
  Preaortic lymph node
  The preaortic lymph nodes lie in front of the aorta, and may be divided into celiac lymph nodes, superior mesenteric lymph nodes, and inferior mesenteric lymph nodes groups, arranged around the origins of the corresponding arteries....
  
   drains the abdominal part of the gastrointestinal tract above the mid-rectum.
• The retroaortic group
  Retroaortic lymph nodes
  The retroaortic lymph nodes are placed below the cisterna chyli, on the bodies of the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae....
  
   drains from the lateral and preaortic glands.
• The lateral group
  Lateral aortic lymph nodes
  There are two groups of lateral aortic lymph nodes: right and left.-Right lateral aortic glands:The right lateral aortic glands, occasionally still known as the Aortic Lymph Glands of Elliott after their first documented record, are situated partly in front of the inferior vena cava, near the...
  
   drains the iliac lymph nodes, the ovaries
  Ovary
  The ovary is an ovum-producing reproductive organ, often found in pairs as part of the vertebrate female reproductive system. Ovaries in anatomically female individuals are analogous to testes in anatomically male individuals, in that they are both gonads and endocrine glands.-Human anatomy:Ovaries...
  
  , and other pelvic organs. The lateral group nodes are located adjacent to the aorta
  Aorta
  The aorta is the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it branches off into two smaller arteries...
  
  , anterior to the spine, extending laterally to the edge of the psoas major muscle
  Psoas major muscle
  -External links: - "Posterior Abdominal Wall: Muscles of the Posterior Abdominal Wall"* *...
  
  s, and superiorly to the crura of the diaphragm.

Dissection

When a paraaortic lymph node dissection or sampling is done as a part of the treatment of cancer

Cancer

Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...

, the lateral aortic lymph node group is the most important group. There are typically 15 to 20 lymph nodes on each side.

When dissected, the dissection usually includes the region from the bifurcation of the aorta to the superior mesenteric artery

Superior mesenteric artery

In human anatomy, the superior mesenteric artery arises from the anterior surface of the abdominal aorta, just inferior to the origin of the celiac trunk, and supplies the intestine from the lower part of the duodenum through two-thirds of the transverse colon, as well as the pancreas.-Location...

 or the renal vein

Renal vein

The renal veins are veins that drain the kidney. They connect the kidney to the inferior vena cava.It is usually singular to each kidney, except in the condition "multiple renal veins".It also divides into 2 divisions upon entering the kidney:...

s.

External links

• http://www.instantanatomy.net/thorax/vessels/lnodes.html