Final answer:
The lymph nodes draining the hand and lower arm are connected to lymphatic vessels that follow the paths of the radial, ulnar, and median antebrachial veins, eventually flowing into the axillary vein and then into either the right lymphatic duct or the thoracic duct depending on the side of the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
The lymph nodes that drain the lower arm and hand are part of a larger network of vessels and nodes that help in returning lymph to the bloodstream. The lymphatic vessels in the arms, including the hand and digits, convey lymph to larger vessels in the torso. Initially, the digital veins drain the fingers and connect to form the palmar venous arches in the hand. The lymph from the hand and lower arm flows into the lymphatic vessels that follow the paths of the radial vein, ulnar veins, and the median antebrachial vein. These veins join to become the brachial vein and then flow into the axillary vein.
Furthermore, the superficial and deep lymphatics in the arm merge to form the lymphatic trunks. On the right side of the body, they drain into the right subclavian vein via the right lymphatic duct. The left arm, among other parts of the body on the left side, drains into the thoracic duct, which empties into the left subclavian vein. This extensive lymphatic system, including the thoracic duct, begins beneath the diaphragm in the cisterna chyli and receives lymph from various parts of the body.