VAN 121: Veterinary Gross Anatomy-II (2+2)

JUGULAR VEINS

• There are two jugular veins on each side of the neck, the external and internal jugular vein.
• These drains the venous blood from the head and neck region.

Internal jugular vein

• The internal jugular vein is the smaller of the two veins and is formed by the union of occipital, thyroid and laryngeal radicles.
• It passes down the neck in company with the carotid artery vagus and sympathetic nerves and receives in its course, muscular tracheal and oesophageal radicles and terminates by joining the external jugular vein just in front of the thoracic inlet.

External jugular vein

• The external jugular vein is the larger of the two jugular veins situated in the jugular furrow.
• It is formed by the union of the superficial temporal and internal maxillary veins on deep face of the vertical rami of the mandible and parotid salivary gland.
• It becomes superficial by emerging through the gland passes down the neck subcutaneously in the jugular furrow where it is separated from the carotid artery by the sternocephalicus and omohyoideus muscles.
• It receives along its course the external maxillary vein, parotid veins, auricular veins, muscular radicles and the cephalic vein and internal jugular vein at its termination. The external jugular veins of either side join together with the brachial veins to form the anterior vena cava.