Internal jugular vein
From Ganfyd
- receives blood from
- brain
- face
- neck
- superior bulb at upper end
- inferior bulb at lower end
- directly above this is a bicuspid valve
Course
- begins at jugular foramen (continuation of sigmoid sinus)
- descends through neck in carotid sheath
- unites with subclavian vein behind medial end of clavicle
- forms brachiocephalic vein
Relations
- Anterolaterally
- skin
- superficial fascia
- platysma
- transverse cutaneous nerve
- investing layer of deep cervical fascia
- sternocleidomastoid
- parotid gland
- lower part (between vein and sternocleidomastoid) covered by
- crossed by
- ansa cervicalis
- stylohyoid
- posterior belly of digastric
- posterior auricular artery
- occipital artery
- spinal part of accessory nerve
- styloid process and stylopharyngeus separate vein from parotid gland
- deep cervical nodes run along gland
- Posteriorly
- transverse process of cervical vertebrae
- levator scapulae
- scalenus medius
- scalenus anterior
- cervical plexus
- phrenic nerve
- thyrocervical trunk
- vertebral vein
- first part of subclavian artery
- thoracic duct (on left side)
- Medially
- above
- internal carotid artery
- glossopharyngeal nerve (~IXth)
- vagus nerve (~Xth)
- accessory nerve (~XIth)
- hypoglossal nerve (~XIIth) cranial nerves
- below
- above
