Gastric Lymph Nodes

The gastric lymph node (Figure 26: o) is a small, rarely doubled lymph node that is located on the lesser curvature of the stomach near the pylorus, though it is not always present.

It was found 10 times in 14 examined cases, and its size ranged from 5 to 25 mm.

Afferent drainage

The gastric lymph node drains the lymph vessels from the esophagus, stomach, liver, diaphragm, mediastinum, and peritoneum.

Efferent drainage

The 1 to 2 efferent vessels leaving the node drain into the left hepatic lymph node (Figure 26: c), and occasionally into one of the splenic lymph nodes as well, located on the trunk of the splenic vein. If there are 2 gastric lymph nodes, they are then connected by efferent vessels, but are otherwise as described above.