The external jugular vein is a superficial vein of the neck that drains blood from theparotid gland, most of the scalp, and side of the face, then back to the heart. It also assists with blood flow down from the head when other major veins, like theinternal jugular vein, are compressed or blocked. Complications affecting the external jugular vein are relatively rare.

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veins and arteries of the neck

Anatomy

All veins carry deoxygenated blood from the organs, muscles, and other structures back to the heart. Veins typically have a lower blood pressure thanarteries.

While their walls are thinner, veins are usually larger in diameter than arteries and hold about 80% of the body’s total blood whereas arteries typically only circulate 20% of the blood.

The Anatomy of Jugular Veins

Structure

The walls of the external jugular vein consist of three layers:

Location

The external jugular vein forms from the union of the posterior branch of the retromandibular vein and posterior auricular vein beneath the parotid gland at the area behind the angle ofthe mandible, or lower jaw bone, and beneath the auricle, or earlobe.

The external jugular vein travels from its origin at the angle of the mandible and crosses at a diagonal line across the sternocleidomastoid muscle of the neck. The external jugular vein ends at the middle of theclavicle, or collar bone, where it joins with the subclavian vein. It is a relatively superficial vein that is close to the skin surface under the platysma muscle of the neck.

Function

While the internal jugular vein is a blood drainage pathway deep in the neck that is the main source of blood flow down from the head, blood drainage from the brain, head, and face can occur along multiple alternate routes, including the external jugular vein, to compensate if there is compression obstructing other channels.

The external jugular vein is a superficial pathway responsible for draining the blood supply from the parotid gland (the largest salivary gland), most of the scalp, and side of the face.

The external jugular vein joins the subclavian vein and internal jugular vein to form the brachiocephalic vein, which empties into the superior vena cava. The superior vena cava drains deoxygenated blood from the head, neck, and arms directly to the right atrium of the heart where it will be pumped to the lungs to become oxygenated again.

Order of Blood Flow Through the Heart

Clinical Significance

Complications affecting the external jugular vein are very rare, and very few conditions have been reported in medical studies. Although uncommon, malformations of the external jugular vein can occur and potential complications involving it include:

6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mohammed, NY, Di Domenico, G, Gambaccini, M.Cerebral venous drainage through internal jugular vein.Veins and Lymphatics.2019;8(3). doi: 10.4081/vl.2019.8379Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Introduction to Clinically Oriented Anatomy. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:37-41.Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Chapter 7. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:857-858.Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Chapter 8. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:995.Mohanty, D, Jain, BK, Garg, PK, Tandon, A.External jugular venous aneurysm: A clinical curiosity.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2013, 4(1):223-225. doi: 10.4103/0976-9668.107296de Oliveira JCP, Barreto FTR, Chimelli BCAR, de Oliveira LMP, Tavares RK, da Costa TFL, Souza DDBAE, Gutfilen B.External jugular vein hemangioma: case report.J Vasc Bras. 2019 Apr 17;18:e20180026. doi: 10.1590/1677-5449.180026

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mohammed, NY, Di Domenico, G, Gambaccini, M.Cerebral venous drainage through internal jugular vein.Veins and Lymphatics.2019;8(3). doi: 10.4081/vl.2019.8379Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Introduction to Clinically Oriented Anatomy. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:37-41.Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Chapter 7. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:857-858.Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Chapter 8. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:995.Mohanty, D, Jain, BK, Garg, PK, Tandon, A.External jugular venous aneurysm: A clinical curiosity.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2013, 4(1):223-225. doi: 10.4103/0976-9668.107296de Oliveira JCP, Barreto FTR, Chimelli BCAR, de Oliveira LMP, Tavares RK, da Costa TFL, Souza DDBAE, Gutfilen B.External jugular vein hemangioma: case report.J Vasc Bras. 2019 Apr 17;18:e20180026. doi: 10.1590/1677-5449.180026

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Mohammed, NY, Di Domenico, G, Gambaccini, M.Cerebral venous drainage through internal jugular vein.Veins and Lymphatics.2019;8(3). doi: 10.4081/vl.2019.8379Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Introduction to Clinically Oriented Anatomy. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:37-41.Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Chapter 7. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:857-858.Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Chapter 8. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:995.Mohanty, D, Jain, BK, Garg, PK, Tandon, A.External jugular venous aneurysm: A clinical curiosity.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2013, 4(1):223-225. doi: 10.4103/0976-9668.107296de Oliveira JCP, Barreto FTR, Chimelli BCAR, de Oliveira LMP, Tavares RK, da Costa TFL, Souza DDBAE, Gutfilen B.External jugular vein hemangioma: case report.J Vasc Bras. 2019 Apr 17;18:e20180026. doi: 10.1590/1677-5449.180026

Mohammed, NY, Di Domenico, G, Gambaccini, M.Cerebral venous drainage through internal jugular vein.Veins and Lymphatics.2019;8(3). doi: 10.4081/vl.2019.8379

Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Introduction to Clinically Oriented Anatomy. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:37-41.

Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Chapter 7. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:857-858.

Moore, KL, Dalley, AF, Agur, AMR. Chapter 8. In Moore, KL, ed.Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th ed. Lippincott Williams & Watkins; 2014:995.

Mohanty, D, Jain, BK, Garg, PK, Tandon, A.External jugular venous aneurysm: A clinical curiosity.J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2013, 4(1):223-225. doi: 10.4103/0976-9668.107296

de Oliveira JCP, Barreto FTR, Chimelli BCAR, de Oliveira LMP, Tavares RK, da Costa TFL, Souza DDBAE, Gutfilen B.External jugular vein hemangioma: case report.J Vasc Bras. 2019 Apr 17;18:e20180026. doi: 10.1590/1677-5449.180026

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