Anterior jugular vein

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Vein: Anterior jugular vein
The veins of the neck, viewed from in front. (Anterior jugular visible at center.)
Veins of the head and neck. (Anterior jugular visible at bottom right.)
Latin v. jugularis anterior
Gray's subject #168 647
MeSH A07.231.908.498

The anterior jugular vein begins near the hyoid bone by the confluence of several superficial veins from the submaxillary region.

It descends between the median line and the anterior border of the Sternocleidomastoideus, and, at the lower part of the neck, passes beneath that muscle to open into the termination of the external jugular, or, in some instances, into the subclavian vein.

It varies considerably in size, bearing usually an inverse proportion to the external jugular; most frequently there are two anterior jugulars, a right and left; but sometimes only one.

Its tributaries are some laryngeal veins, and occasionally a small thyroid vein.

Just above the sternum the two anterior jugular veins communicate by a transverse trunk, the venous jugular arch, which receive tributaries from the inferior thyroid veins; each also communicates with the internal jugular.

There are no valves in this vein.

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[edit] See also

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.


Veins edit

superficial - deep - venae comitantes - venous sinuses - pulmonary | (Gray's s164-Gray's s165)

heart: coronary sinus - great cardiac - left marginal - small cardiac - right marginal - middle cardiac - posterior of the left ventricle - oblique of the left atrium - anterior cardiac | (Gray's s166)

exterior of the head and face: frontal - supraorbital - angular - anterior facial - common facial - deep facial - superficial temporal - posterior facial - transverse facial - pterygoid - internal maxillary - posterior auricular - occipital | (Gray's s167)

veins of the neck: external jugular - sinus - posterior external jugular - anterior jugular - internal jugular - inferior petrosal sinus - lingual - ranine - pharyngeal - superior thyroid - middle thyroid - vertebral - deep cervical | (Gray's s168)

diploic/veins of the brain: cerebral - superior cerebral - middle cerebral - inferior cerebral - basal - internal cerebral - great cerebral - cerebellar | (Gray's s169-Gray's s170)

sinuses of the dura mater: superior sagittal - inferior sagittal - straight - transverse - sigmoid - petrosquamous - occipital - confluence - cavernous | (Gray's s171)

ophthalmic: superior ophthalmic - nasofrontal - inferior ophthalmic - intercavernous sinuses - superior petrosal sinus - basilar - emissary | (Gray's s171)

upper extremity: superficial (cephalic - median cubital - accessory cephalic - basilic - median antebrachial) - deep (radial - ulnar - brachial - axillary) | (Gray's s172)

thorax: subclavian - brachiocephalic - internal thoracic - superior phrenic - inferior thyroid - intercostal (supreme - superior - posterior) - superior vena cava - azygos - hemiazygos - accessory hemiazygos - bronchial | (Gray's s172)

vertebral column: external vertebral venous plexuses - internal vertebral venous plexuses - basivertebral - intervertebral - of the medulla spinalis | (Gray's s172)

lower extremity: common digital - great saphenous - thoracoepigastric - small saphenous - plantar digital - posterior tibial - peroneal - anterior tibial - popliteal - femoral - profunda femoris | (Gray's s173)

abdomen and pelvis: external iliac - inferior epigastric - internal iliac - superior gluteal - inferior gluteal - internal pudendal - hemorrhoidal - pudendal - dorsal of the penis - common iliac - inferior vena cava - spermatic - ovarian - renal - suprarenal - inferior phrenic - hepatic | (Gray's s173)

portal system: portal - splenic - short gastric - left gastroepiploic - pancreatic - inferior mesenteric - superior rectal - superior mesenteric - right gastroepiploic - pancreaticoduodenal | (Gray's s174)

fetal: ductus venosus - umbilical | (Gray's s139)