The Anatomy of the Retromandibular Vein

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnatomyFunctionClinical Significance

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Anatomy

Function

Clinical Significance

The retromandibular vein is located in the facial area in front of the ear. This is a paired vein, with one on each side of the face. This deep vein of the face drains deoxygenated blood from various parts of the head and itself drains into thejugular veinsto return the blood to the heart and lungs.

This article discusses the anatomy, variations, function, and clinical significance of the retromandibular vein.

Also Known AsThe retromandibular vein is also called the posterior facial vein.

Also Known As

The retromandibular vein is also called the posterior facial vein.

After it emerges from the parotid gland, the retromandibular vein forms two branches: the anterior and the posterior. Venous blood from the retromandibular veins drains into theinternal jugular veinandexternal jugular vein:

Verywell / Theresa Chiechi

What Is a Vein?Veins are part of your body’s circulatory system and help drain deoxygenated blood from the tissues and organs back to the heart to become oxygenated. Oxygenated blood then gets pumped from the heart through the arteries.

What Is a Vein?

Veins are part of your body’s circulatory system and help drain deoxygenated blood from the tissues and organs back to the heart to become oxygenated. Oxygenated blood then gets pumped from the heart through the arteries.

Anatomical Variations

In some people, the retromandibular vein follows different paths on the different sides of the face.

One 2018 study outlines four different retromandibular vein variations that may increase the risk of damage during certain facial surgeries.

Even rarer is when the retromandibular vein is entirely absent. When it’s not present, it can make surgery more difficult. It also changes how blood drains from the head and neck.

The retromandibular vein drains venous blood from several areas around the head, including the:

What Is the Masseter Muscle?The masseter muscle is a large facial muscle that connects the lower jaw to the cheekbone. It’s important for chewing foods. It’s one of the strongest muscles in the body.

What Is the Masseter Muscle?

The masseter muscle is a large facial muscle that connects the lower jaw to the cheekbone. It’s important for chewing foods. It’s one of the strongest muscles in the body.

Deep veins like the retromandibular vein are larger than superficial veins because they transport large amounts of blood back to the heart.

Potential anatomical variations of the retromandibular vein can make surgery in the facial area more difficult. By being aware of potential variations, surgeons can better prepare themselves for tricky facial surgeries.

In the rare case the retromandibular vein is absent, it poses a problem for surgeons who use the vein as a guidepost during certain facial surgeries such as a parotidectomy.

What Is a Parotidectomy?A parotidectomy is surgery of the parotid gland. The surgery involves the removal of a tumor. A parotidectomy can be superficial or total, depending on the location of the tumor. The surgery requires a lot of skill and precision because of the many facial structures involved.

What Is a Parotidectomy?

A parotidectomy is surgery of the parotid gland. The surgery involves the removal of a tumor. A parotidectomy can be superficial or total, depending on the location of the tumor. The surgery requires a lot of skill and precision because of the many facial structures involved.

A study from 2018 outlines several case studies where anatomical variations of the vein were discovered during parotidectomies.Researchers explain that the variations may increase bleeding and nerve injury risk.

The location and variations of the retromandibular vein are also a concern during sagittal split ostomy surgery.This is one of the most common jaw surgeries. It is used to correct malformations of the lower jaw or improve overbite or underbite. Major bleeding or nerve damage can occur if the surgeon is not vigilant for variations.

Summary

The retromandibular vein is a deep facial vein that drains structures of the face, including the lateral (side) of the skull, jaw, parotid gland, and masseter muscle. It drains into the jugular veins. Its location and variation are essential to note when surgeons perform procedures on the parotid gland or jaw.

7 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.Sugahara K, Matsunaga S, Yamamoto M, et al.Retromandibular vein position and course patterns in relation to mandible: anatomical morphologies requiring particular vigilance during sagittal split ramus osteotomy.Anat Cell Biol. 2020;53(4):444-450. doi:10.5115/acb.20.236Cleveland Clinic.Blood vessels: Illustrations.Mahore D, Mangalgiri AS, Namdev LN, Kapre M.Variations of retromandibular vein and its relation to facial nerve within parotid gland.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2018;70(3):395-397. doi:10.1007/s12070-018-1389-1Patil J, Kumar N, Swamy RS, D’Souza MR, Guru A, Nayak SB.Absence of retromandibular vein associated with atypical formation of external jugular vein in the parotid region.Anat Cell Biol. 2014;47(2):135-137. doi:10.5115/acb.2014.47.2.135Library of Congress.What is the strongest muscle in the human body?Patil J, Kumar N, Swamy RS, D’Souza MR, Guru A, Nayak SB.Absence of retromandibular vein associated with atypical formation of external jugular vein in the parotid region.Anat Cell Biol. 2014;47(2):135-137. doi:10.5115/acb.2014.47.2.135Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Parotidectomy (parotid gland tumor surgery).

7 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.Sugahara K, Matsunaga S, Yamamoto M, et al.Retromandibular vein position and course patterns in relation to mandible: anatomical morphologies requiring particular vigilance during sagittal split ramus osteotomy.Anat Cell Biol. 2020;53(4):444-450. doi:10.5115/acb.20.236Cleveland Clinic.Blood vessels: Illustrations.Mahore D, Mangalgiri AS, Namdev LN, Kapre M.Variations of retromandibular vein and its relation to facial nerve within parotid gland.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2018;70(3):395-397. doi:10.1007/s12070-018-1389-1Patil J, Kumar N, Swamy RS, D’Souza MR, Guru A, Nayak SB.Absence of retromandibular vein associated with atypical formation of external jugular vein in the parotid region.Anat Cell Biol. 2014;47(2):135-137. doi:10.5115/acb.2014.47.2.135Library of Congress.What is the strongest muscle in the human body?Patil J, Kumar N, Swamy RS, D’Souza MR, Guru A, Nayak SB.Absence of retromandibular vein associated with atypical formation of external jugular vein in the parotid region.Anat Cell Biol. 2014;47(2):135-137. doi:10.5115/acb.2014.47.2.135Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Parotidectomy (parotid gland tumor surgery).

Sugahara K, Matsunaga S, Yamamoto M, et al.Retromandibular vein position and course patterns in relation to mandible: anatomical morphologies requiring particular vigilance during sagittal split ramus osteotomy.Anat Cell Biol. 2020;53(4):444-450. doi:10.5115/acb.20.236Cleveland Clinic.Blood vessels: Illustrations.Mahore D, Mangalgiri AS, Namdev LN, Kapre M.Variations of retromandibular vein and its relation to facial nerve within parotid gland.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2018;70(3):395-397. doi:10.1007/s12070-018-1389-1Patil J, Kumar N, Swamy RS, D’Souza MR, Guru A, Nayak SB.Absence of retromandibular vein associated with atypical formation of external jugular vein in the parotid region.Anat Cell Biol. 2014;47(2):135-137. doi:10.5115/acb.2014.47.2.135Library of Congress.What is the strongest muscle in the human body?Patil J, Kumar N, Swamy RS, D’Souza MR, Guru A, Nayak SB.Absence of retromandibular vein associated with atypical formation of external jugular vein in the parotid region.Anat Cell Biol. 2014;47(2):135-137. doi:10.5115/acb.2014.47.2.135Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Parotidectomy (parotid gland tumor surgery).

Cleveland Clinic.Blood vessels: Illustrations.

Mahore D, Mangalgiri AS, Namdev LN, Kapre M.Variations of retromandibular vein and its relation to facial nerve within parotid gland.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2018;70(3):395-397. doi:10.1007/s12070-018-1389-1

Patil J, Kumar N, Swamy RS, D’Souza MR, Guru A, Nayak SB.Absence of retromandibular vein associated with atypical formation of external jugular vein in the parotid region.Anat Cell Biol. 2014;47(2):135-137. doi:10.5115/acb.2014.47.2.135

Library of Congress.What is the strongest muscle in the human body?

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Parotidectomy (parotid gland tumor surgery).

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Also Known As#

What Is a Vein?#

Anatomical Variations#

What Is the Masseter Muscle?#

What Is a Parotidectomy?#

Summary#