Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnatomyStructureLocationFunctionClinical Significance
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Anatomy
Structure
Location
Function
Clinical Significance
The internal jugular vein is a set of two blood vessels that collect blood from the brain, superficial regions of the face, and neck, and deliver it to theright atriumof the heart. There are three types of jugular veins: the interior, exterior, and anterior veins. Each type is paired, with one on each side of the neck.
Blockage of blood flow through the internal jugular vein can cause a backflow of blood into the brain, which increases intracranial pressure and can cause serious brain damage if left untreated.
This article guides you through the anatomy, structure, location, and function of the internal jugular vein, as well as its clinical significance.
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Overview of Elevated Intracranial Pressure
Anatomy of the Internal Jugular Vein
Veinscarry deoxygenated blood from organs, muscles, and other structures back to the heart. They 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.
Structure of the Internal Jugular Vein
The walls of the internal jugular vein consist of three layers:
The internal jugular vein has a dilated portion at its beginning, called the superior bulb, and another dilated portion at its end, called the inferior bulb, that connects with other veins.
The internal jugular vein also contains the internal jugular vein valve near its end to promote blood flow in one direction toward the heart and prevent backflow toward the brain.
The Anatomy of Jugular Veins
Location of the Internal Jugular Vein
There is an internal jugular vein on both the right and left sides of the neck that originates from an opening on each side of the skull (the jugularforamen). Each internal jugular vein widens here to form the superior bulb of the internal jugular vein and is a direct continuation of the sigmoid sinus that drains blood from the brain.
The internal jugular vein runs vertically down each side of the neck behind the sternocleidomastoid muscle within the carotid sheath, a tube of connective tissue that runs from the base of the skull to the first rib.
The carotid sheath surrounds the internal jugular vein,common carotid artery, andvagus nerveon each side of the neck. The left jugular vein is generally smaller than the right jugular vein.
The end of the internal jugular vein widens to form the inferior bulb of the internal jugular vein, which contains the internal jugular vein valve. The internal jugular vein comes together with its smaller counterpart, the external jugular vein, and thesubclavian veinto form the right and leftbrachiocephalic, or innominate, veins positioned behind the area where theclaviclemeets thesternum.
Thebrachiocephalic veinsjoin together to form the superior vena cava, a large vein that directly drains all the deoxygenated blood from the circulation of the head, neck, and arms into the right atrium of the heart to be pumped to the lungs to become oxygenated again.
Order of Blood Flow Through the Heart
Internal Jugular Vein Function
Blood Flow
The internal jugular vein is the largest vein in the neck. It is the main source of venous drainage, or blood flow, down from the brain, returning deoxygenated blood from the head and neck to the heart, where it will be pumped to the lungs to become oxygenated again.
The internal jugular vein also serves as the main channel to drain blood from the face and neck via the inferior petrosal sinus, facial vein, lingual vein, pharyngeal vein, and superior and middle thyroid veins that empty into it.
Central Venous Pressure
Evaluating the pulse via the internal jugular vein, called the jugular venous pulse, is a useful indicator for indirectly assessing central venous pressure, a measurement used to diagnose many heart conditions. Jugular venous pressure results from the expansion and contraction of the internal jugular vein that occurs with pressure changes in the right atrium of the heart.
Backflow of Blood
The internal jugular vein contains the internal jugular vein valve located near the vein’s end where it connects to the brachiocephalic vein. The internal jugular vein valve prevents the backflow of blood from going back into circulation in the brain.
With a strongValsalva maneuver(taking a large breath and holding it in), the internal jugular vein valves can malfunction due to the increased pressure. This can subsequently increase the blood pressure in the head as the blood backflows into the brain.
When there is a reduction in blood flow through the internal jugular veins, commonly observed in those with head injury,cerebral hemorrhage,brain tumors, andhydrocephalus, blood can also backflow into the brain. This causes the cerebral blood volume of the brain to increase and results in increasedintracranial pressure. If left untreated, increased intracranial pressure can cause serious brain damage.
Clinical Significance of the Internal Jugular Vein
Conditions involving the internal jugular vein affect proper blood flow down from the head and neck and can cause serious complications with backflow of blood and increased intracranial pressure in the brain.
Complications affecting the internal jugular vein include the following:
Summary
The internal jugular vein is a pair of blood vessels (one on each side of the neck) that collect deoxygenated blood from the head and neck and carry it down to the heart’s right atrium, where it is pumped to the lungs for reoxygenation. Assessing the jugular venous pulse can be useful for indirectly diagnosing many heart conditions.
Blockage of blood flow through the internal jugular vein can cause a backflow of blood into the brain. This is commonly observed in those with head injury, cerebral hemorrhage, brain tumors, hydrocephalus, and other compressive conditions. Resulting increases in intracranial pressure can cause serious damage if left untreated.
Complications affecting the internal jugular vein include stenosis, aneurysm, and thrombosis.
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. Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th Ed. Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Health; 2014:37-41.National Library of Medicine.Anatomy, Head and Neck: Internal Jugular Vein.[StatPearls] July 24, 2023.Ahn, SS, Miller, TJ, Chen, SW, Chen JF. (2014).Internal Jugular Vein Stenosis is Common in Patients Presenting with Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.Annals of Vascular Surgery, 28(4), 946-950. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avsg.2013.12.009Nasiri AM, Rayes N, Bakarman KA.Internal jugular vein aneurysm: A case report.Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(2):e9588. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000009588Shakeel M, Keh SM, Kynaston J, McCluney N, Ah See KW.Evidence based management of spontaneous internal jugular vein thrombosis: a literature review.Journal of Otolaryngology-ENT Research. 2015;2(2), 79-85. DOI: 10.15406/joentr.2015.02.00019
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. Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th Ed. Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Health; 2014:37-41.National Library of Medicine.Anatomy, Head and Neck: Internal Jugular Vein.[StatPearls] July 24, 2023.Ahn, SS, Miller, TJ, Chen, SW, Chen JF. (2014).Internal Jugular Vein Stenosis is Common in Patients Presenting with Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.Annals of Vascular Surgery, 28(4), 946-950. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avsg.2013.12.009Nasiri AM, Rayes N, Bakarman KA.Internal jugular vein aneurysm: A case report.Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(2):e9588. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000009588Shakeel M, Keh SM, Kynaston J, McCluney N, Ah See KW.Evidence based management of spontaneous internal jugular vein thrombosis: a literature review.Journal of Otolaryngology-ENT Research. 2015;2(2), 79-85. DOI: 10.15406/joentr.2015.02.00019
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. Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th Ed. Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Health; 2014:37-41.National Library of Medicine.Anatomy, Head and Neck: Internal Jugular Vein.[StatPearls] July 24, 2023.Ahn, SS, Miller, TJ, Chen, SW, Chen JF. (2014).Internal Jugular Vein Stenosis is Common in Patients Presenting with Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.Annals of Vascular Surgery, 28(4), 946-950. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avsg.2013.12.009Nasiri AM, Rayes N, Bakarman KA.Internal jugular vein aneurysm: A case report.Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(2):e9588. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000009588Shakeel M, Keh SM, Kynaston J, McCluney N, Ah See KW.Evidence based management of spontaneous internal jugular vein thrombosis: a literature review.Journal of Otolaryngology-ENT Research. 2015;2(2), 79-85. DOI: 10.15406/joentr.2015.02.00019
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. Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th Ed. Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Health; 2014:37-41.
National Library of Medicine.Anatomy, Head and Neck: Internal Jugular Vein.[StatPearls] July 24, 2023.
Ahn, SS, Miller, TJ, Chen, SW, Chen JF. (2014).Internal Jugular Vein Stenosis is Common in Patients Presenting with Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.Annals of Vascular Surgery, 28(4), 946-950. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avsg.2013.12.009
Nasiri AM, Rayes N, Bakarman KA.Internal jugular vein aneurysm: A case report.Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(2):e9588. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000009588
Shakeel M, Keh SM, Kynaston J, McCluney N, Ah See KW.Evidence based management of spontaneous internal jugular vein thrombosis: a literature review.Journal of Otolaryngology-ENT Research. 2015;2(2), 79-85. DOI: 10.15406/joentr.2015.02.00019
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