Anatomy of the Vessels and Nerves of the Head and Neck (Angioneurotomy) - Chornokulskyi S.T. 2009

Veins of the Head and Neck
Extracranial Tributaries of the Internal Jugular Vein

1. Facial vein (v. facialis) (Fig. 20).

It originates as the angular vein, accompanies the a. facialis, and reaches the angle of the Mandible, where it receives the retromandibular vein (v. retromandibularis). At the level of the Hyoid bone, the v. facialis empties into the Internal jugular vein. The facial vein receives numerous tributaries, which drain the soft Tissues of the face:

Supraorbital vein (v. supraorbitalis); superior and inferior palpebral Veins (vv. palpebrales superiores et inferiores); superior and inferior labial veins (vv. labiales superior et inferior); parotid veins (vv. parotideae); external palatine vein (v. palatina externa); submental vein (v. submentalis); lingual vein (v. lingualis); external nasal veins (vv. nasales externae); deep facial vein (v. profunda faciei), which drains the pterygoid plexus and communicates via an anastomosis with the inferior ophthalmic vein.

Anastomoses of the v. facialis: v. angularis → v. ophthalmica superior → sinus cavernosus;

v. profunda faciei → plexus pterygoideus → plexus venosus foraminis ovalis → sinus cavernosus.

These anastomoses can serve pathways for the spread of infection into the cranial cavity, posing a risk of cavernous sinus thrombosis, particularly when a purulent focus is located above the oral fissure.

2. Retromandibular vein (v. retromandibularis) is formed by the superficial temporal veins (vv. temporales superficiales), runs downward anterior to the auricle, pierces the parotid gland, and empties into the v. facialis or the internal jugular vein (v. jugularis interna).

Tributaries of the vein:

Middle and deep temporal veins (vv. temporales media et profundae);

Anterior auricular veins (vv. auriculares anteriores);

Parotid veins (vv. parotideae);

Articular veins (vv. articulares);

Tributaries of the pterygoid plexus (vv. plexus pterygoidei).

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Fig. 23. Blood supply of the Pituitary Gland and the hypothalamo-hypophyseal system:

1 - paraventricular Nucleus (nuc. paraventricularis);

2 - supraoptic nucleus (nuc. supraopticus);

3 - tuberomammillary nucleus (nuc. tuberalis);

4 - neurohypophysis (neurohypophysis);

5 - adenohypophysis (adenohypophysis);

6 - infundibular nucleus (nuc. infundibularis);

7 - capillary network of the neurohypophysis;

8 - sinusoidal capillary network (portal system) of the adenohypophysis;

9 - hypophyseal portal veins (vv. portales hypophysis);

10 - to the cavernous and intercavernous sinuses of the dura mater

The pterygoid plexus, located in the infratemporal fossa, receives the following veins:

middle meningeal

(vv. meningeae mediae);

deep temporal

(vv. temporales profundae);

vein of the pterygoid canal

(v. canalis pterygoidei);

stylomastoid

(v. stylomastoidea);

tympanic (vv. tympanicae).

3. Superior thyroid vein (v. thyroidea superior), which receives the superior laryngeal vein (v. laryngea superior).

4. Middle thyroid veins (vv. thyroideae mediae).

5. Sternocleidomastoid vein (v. sternocleidomastoidea).

6. Pharyngeal veins (vv. pharyngeales);

7. Lingual vein (v. lingualis), which may alternatively drain into the internal jugular vein (v. jugularis interna) or facial vein (v. facialis).