Splenic Vein

In anatomy, the splenic vein (in the past called the lienal vein) is the blood vessel that drains blood from the spleen.

It joins with the superior mesenteric vein, to form the hepatic portal vein and follows a course superior to the pancreas, alongside of the similarly named artery, the splenic artery. Unlike the splenic artery, the splenic vein is intraperitoneal as it courses along the superior border of the body of the pancreas, whereas the splenic artery is retroperitoneal.

It collects branches from the stomach and pancreas and most notably from the large intestine (inferior mesenteric vein), which is drained by the superior mesenteric vein and joins with splenic vein shortly before it forms the portal vein.