Internal jugular vein
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The internal jugular vein (IJV) is the major venous return from the brain, upper face and neck.
Gross anatomy
Origin and course
It is formed by the union of inferior petrosal and sigmoid dural venous sinuses in or just distal to the jugular foramen (forming the jugular bulb). It descends in the carotid sheath with the internal carotid artery. The vagus nerve (CN X) lies between the two.
After receiving tributaries from the face and neck (listed below) it continues to descend before descending into the thorax, usually between the heads of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, before uniting with the subclavian vein to form the brachiocephalic vein.
Tributaries
- inferior petrosal sinus
- pharyngeal veins
- facial vein
- lingual vein
- superior thyroid vein
- middle thyroid vein
A handy mnemonic to recall the internal jugular vein is:
- Medical Schools Let Fun People In
Relations
- surrounded by accompanying lymph nodes
- relation to internal carotid artery
- C2
-: posteriorly - C3
-: posterolaterally - C4
-: laterally- vagus nerve (CN X) always situated between the ICA and IJV
- C2
- anteriorly (i.e. is crossed by these structures)
- upper third
-: spinal root of accessory nerve (CN XI) - middle third
-: lower root of ansa cervicalis - lower third
-: sternocleidomastoid muscle, tendon of omohyoid muscle
- upper third
- posteriorly (from superior to inferior as the IJV descends in the neck)
- lateral mass of C1 (atlas)
- middle scalene muscle
- anterior scalene muscle
- pleura of lung apices
-<p>The <strong>internal jugular vein (IJV)</strong> is the major venous return from the brain, upper face and neck. </p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Origin and course</h5><p>It is formed by the union of <a href="/articles/inferior-petrosal-sinus">inferior petrosal</a> and <a href="/articles/sigmoid-sinus">sigmoid dural venous sinuses</a> in or just distal to the <a href="/articles/jugular-foramen-2">jugular foramen </a>(forming the <a href="/articles/jugular-bulb">jugular bulb)</a>. It descends in the <a href="/articles/carotid-sheath">carotid sheath</a> with the <a href="/articles/internal-carotid-artery-1">internal carotid artery</a>. The <a href="/articles/vagus-nerve">vagus nerve (CN X)</a> lies between the two. </p><p>After receiving tributaries from the face and neck (listed below) it continues to descend before descending into the thorax, usually between the heads of the <a href="/articles/sternocleidomastoid-muscle">sternocleidomastoid muscle,</a> before uniting with the <a href="/articles/subclavian-vein">subclavian vein</a> to form the <a href="/articles/brachiocephalic-vein">brachiocephalic vein</a>. </p><h5>Tributaries</h5><ul>- +<p>The <strong>internal jugular vein (IJV)</strong> is the major venous return from the brain, upper face and neck.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Origin and course</h5><p>It is formed by the union of <a href="/articles/inferior-petrosal-sinus">inferior petrosal</a> and <a href="/articles/sigmoid-sinus">sigmoid dural venous sinuses</a> in or just distal to the <a href="/articles/jugular-foramen-2">jugular foramen </a>(forming the <a href="/articles/jugular-bulb">jugular bulb)</a>. It descends in the <a href="/articles/carotid-sheath">carotid sheath</a> with the <a href="/articles/internal-carotid-artery-1">internal carotid artery</a>. The <a href="/articles/vagus-nerve">vagus nerve (CN X)</a> lies between the two.</p><p>After receiving tributaries from the face and neck (listed below) it continues to descend before descending into the thorax, usually between the heads of the <a href="/articles/sternocleidomastoid-muscle">sternocleidomastoid muscle,</a> before uniting with the <a href="/articles/subclavian-vein">subclavian vein</a> to form the <a href="/articles/brachiocephalic-vein">brachiocephalic vein</a>.</p><h5>Tributaries</h5><ul>
-</ul><p>A handy <a href="/articles/internal-jugular-vein-tributaries-mnemonic-1">mnemonic</a> to recall the internal jugular vein is: </p><ul><li>Medical Schools Let Fun People In</li></ul><h5>Relations</h5><ul>- +</ul><p>A handy <a href="/articles/internal-jugular-vein-tributaries-mnemonic-1">mnemonic</a> to recall the internal jugular vein is:</p><ul><li>Medical Schools Let Fun People In</li></ul><h5>Relations</h5><ul>
-<li>C2 - posteriorly</li>-<li>C3 - posterolaterally</li>-<li>C4 - laterally<ul><li>vagus nerve (CN X) always situated between the ICA and IJV</li></ul>- +<li>C2: posteriorly</li>
- +<li>C3: posterolaterally</li>
- +<li>C4: laterally<ul><li>vagus nerve (CN X) always situated between the ICA and IJV</li></ul>
-<li>upper third - spinal root of <a href="/articles/spinal-accessory-nerve">accessory nerve (CN XI)</a>- +<li>upper third: spinal root of <a href="/articles/spinal-accessory-nerve">accessory nerve (CN XI)</a>
-<li>middle third- lower root of <a href="/articles/ansa-cervicalis">ansa cervicalis</a>- +<li>middle third: lower root of <a href="/articles/ansa-cervicalis">ansa cervicalis</a>
-<li>lower third - sternocleidomastoid muscle, tendon of <a href="/articles/omohyoid-muscle">omohyoid muscle</a>- +<li>lower third: sternocleidomastoid muscle, tendon of <a href="/articles/omohyoid-muscle">omohyoid muscle</a>
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