| Vein | Tributaries | Drains Into | Region Drained | Notes |
|---|
| angular | union of supraorbital & supratrochlear | unites with superior labial v. to form facial | forehead, nose | connects with superior & inferior ophthalmic vs. |
| antebrachial, median | superficial veins of palm & anterior forearm | median cubital or basilic | palm, anterior forearm | variable in size |
| auricular, posterior | | unites with post. div. of retromandibular to form external jugular | behind ear | connects with occipital |
| azygos | union of ascending lumbar & subcostal; post. intercostals 11-2 (rt. sup. intercostal), hemiazygos, accessory hemiazygos, esophageal, rt. bronchial | sup. vena cava | lateral & post. abdominal/chest wall, esophagus, bronchial tree | may connect with inf. vena cava; arch of azygos passes sup. to root of lung (Greek, a- = not + zygon = yoke, therefore unyoked or unpaired, as the azygos vein) |
| basilic | dorsal veins of hand medially; superficial forearm vs., median cubital | unites with brachial vs. to form axillary vein | medial hand & forearm superficially | connects with deep veins of forearm |
| basilar plexus | superior & inferior petrosal sinuses | internal vertebral plexus | cavernous sinus | variable, connects with other small sinuses nearby |
| brachiocephalic | union of subclavian & internal jugular; vertebral, thymic, inferior thyroid, internal thoracic, 1st post. intercostal, left sup. intercostal (to left brachiocephalic) | left & right brachiocephalic unite to form sup. vena cava | head, neck, upper limb, anterior chest wall | at its origin, left brachiocephalic receives thoracic duct, right receives right lymphatic duct (Latin, brachio- = arm + cephalic = head) |
| cardiac, anterior | | right atrium |
anterior surface of right ventricle |
| cardiac, great | ventricular vs., left marginal | unites with oblique v. of left atrium to form coronary sinus |
heart near anterior interventricular sulcus |
| cardiac, middle | ventricular vs. | coronary sinus |
heart near posterior interventricular sulcus |
| cardiac, small | | coronary sinus |
heart near inferior vena cava & right coronary sulcus |
| cavernous sinuses | superior ophthalmic v., middle cerebral vs., sphenoparietal sinus | sup. & inf. petrosal sinuses | orbit, brain | lies within dura mater beside body of sphenoid bone |
| cephalic | dorsal veins of hand laterally; superficial vs. of forearm | axillary | lateral hand & forearm | median cubital usually shunts some blood to basilic |
| cerebral, great | union of paired internal cerebrals; basal vs. | unites with inferior sagittal sinus to form straight sinus |
deep portions of cerebrum |
| cerebral, inferior | | superior sagittal sinus, cavernous sinus, transverse sinus, superior petrosal sinus |
frontal & temporal lobes inferiorly |
| cerebral, superior | | superior sagittal sinus |
cerebral cortex superiorly |
| of clitoris, deep dorsal | | vesical plexus |
erectile bodies of clitoris |
| of clitoris, superficial dorsal | | superficial & deep external pudendal vs. |
clitoris superficially |
| confluens of sinuses | sup. sagittal sinus, straight sinus, occipital sinus | transverse sinuses | brain | lies on occipital bone within junction of falx cerebri & tentorium cerebelli |
| coronary sinus | union of great cardiac v. & oblique v. of left atrium; middle cardiac, small cardiac | rt. atrium | heart except anterior cardiac vs. & venae cordis minimae |
(Latin, coronary = crown) |
| cubital, median | cephalic | basilic (poss. median antebrachial) |
hand & forearm superficially |
| cystic | | directly into liver at bed of gall bladder | gall bladder | these multiple small vs. drain gall bladder directly into liver |
| diploic | veins of dipoe of skull | frontal diploic, ant. & post. temporal diploic, occipital diploic are formed, draining to nearby veins or dural sinuses | bones of cranial vault | connect with dural sinuses & meningeal vs. |
| dorsal venous arch of foot | dorsal digital vs. | great saphenous medially, small saphenous laterally |
dorsum of digits & foot superficially |
| dorsal venous arch of hand | dorsal metacarpal vs. | cephalic laterally, basilic medially |
dorsum of digits & hand superficially |
| emissary | |
connect scalp vs. with dural sinuses; 4 named emissary vs.: parietal, mastoid, occipital & condylar |
| esophageal | | azygos & hemiazygos vs. | esophagus | connect with esophageal brs. of left gastric, forming potential portal-caval anastomosis (esophageal varices when enlarged) |
| facial, common | union of ant. div. of retromandibular & facial | internal jugular |
face & ant. scalp |
| Vein | Tributaries | Drains Into | Region Drained | Notes |
|---|
| gastric, left | | portal | lesser curvature of stomach, lower esophagus | connects with esophageal vs., forming portal-caval anastomosis (esophageal varices when enlarged); a.k.a. coronary v. |
| gastric, right | | portal | lesser curvature of stomach | a.k.a. coronary v. |
| gastro-omental, left | gastric & omental brs. | splenic |
greater curvature of stomach & greater omentum |
| gastro-omental, right | gastric & omental brs. | superior mesenteric |
greater curvature of stomach & greater omentum |
| hemiazygos | union of left ascending lumbar & subcostal vs.; left post. intercostal vs. 11-9 or 8, esophageal vs. | azygos |
lower posterolateral chest wall on left side |
| hemiazygos, accessory | left posterior intercostal vs. 4-7 or 8, left bronchial vs., esophageal vs. | azygos |
middle posterolateral chest wall on left side |
| hepatic, left | | inferior vena cava |
lateral segment & superior portion of medial segment of left lobe of liver |
| hepatic, middle | | inferior vena cava |
inferior portion of medial segment of left lobe of liver, & inf. part of ant. segment of right lobe |
| hepatic, right | | inferior vena cava |
posterior segment & superior portion of anterior segment of right lobe of liver |
| intercostal, posterior | spinal trib., posterior trib., collateral trib., lateral cutaneous trib. | 1st: brachiocephalic; 2nd-4th: superior intercostal; right 5th-11th: azygos; left 5th-7th or 8th: accessory hemiazygos; left 9th-11th: hemiazygos |
intercostal space & muscles & adjacent ribs, spinal cord segment & vertebra |
| intercostal, superior | 2nd-4th posterior intercostal | right: arch of azygos; left: left brachiocephalic |
intercostal spaces 2-4 |
| jugular, anterior | submental, communicating | external jugular | anterior neck superficially |
(Latin, jugulum = throat) |
| jugular, external | union of posterior division of retromandibular & posterior auricular; post. external jugular, transverse cervical, suprascapular, anterior jugular | subclavian | head & neck, shoulder |
(Latin, jugulum = throat) |
| jugular, internal | union of sigmoid & inferior petrosal sinus; pharyngeal vs., lingual, common facial, sternocleidomastoid, superior & middle thyroid | brain & skull, face, viscera of neck |
|
(Latin, jugulum = throat) |
| lumbar, ascending | lumbar vs. 1-4 | right: azygos; left: hemiazygos | post. abdominal wall | connects adjacent lumbar vs. |
| mesenteric, inferior | superior rectal, sigmoid vs., left colic | splenic (or superior mesenteric) | gut from splenic flexure distally | courses lateral to 4th part of duodenum |
| metacarpal, dorsal | dorsal digital | dorsal venous arch of hand |
digits of hand dorsally |
| metatarsal, dorsal | dorsal digital | dorsal venous arch of foot |
digits of foot dorsally |
| oblique, of left atrium | | unites with great cardiac to form coronary sinus |
left auricle & adjacent portion of left atrium |
| occipital sinus | | confluens of sinuses | cerebellum | lies within dura mater at base of falx cerebelli |
| ophthalmic, inferior | | superior ophthalmic | lower portion of orbit | connects with pterygoid plexus through inf. orbital fissure |
| ophthalmic, superior | nasofrontal, ant. & post. ethmoid, ciliary vs., central retinal, lacrimal, inferior ophthalmic | cavernous sinus | eyeball, superior portion of orbit, ethmoid sinuses | connects with angular v. |
| ovarian | | right: inferior vena cava; left: left renal | ovary & distal uterine tube, ureter | connects with uterine v. |
| pampiniform plexus | | becomes testicular vein deep to deep inguinal ring | testis | surrounds testicular art. to cool arterial blood reaching testis (Latin, pampiniform = tendril-like + plexus = a braid) |
| pancreaticoduodenal, posterior superior | | portal | posterior part of head of pancreas & 1st & 2nd part of duodenum posteriorly | connects with posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal |
| pancreaticoduodenal, inferior | ant. & post. inferior pancreaticoduodenal | superior mesenteric | lower part of duodenum & head of pancreas | connects with ant. & post. superior pancreaticoduodenal |
| pancreaticoduodenal, anterior superior | | unites with right gastro-omental to drain to superior mesenteric | upper duodendum & head of pancreas anteriorly | connects with ant. inferior pancreaticoduodendal |
| paraumbilical | | umbilical part of left branch of portal vein | falciform ligament, round ligament of liver | potential site of portal-caval anastomosis; blood may pass retrogradely into body wall veins near umbilicus, creating caput medusa sign |
| of penis, deep dorsal | | prostatic venous plexus |
erectile tissue of penis |
| of penis, superficial dorsal | | superficial & deep external pudendal |
superficial tissues of penis |
| petrosal sinus, superior | cavernous sinus | sigmoid sinus | orbit & brain | lies on petrous ridge within dura mater at attachment of tentorium cerebelli |
| petrosal sinus, inferior | cavernous sinus | internal jugular v. | orbit & brain | lies within dura mater at medial end of petrous temporal |
| pharyngeal plexus | | internal jugular | pharynx | connects with pterygoid plexus |
| portal | union of superior mesenteric & splenic; post. sup. pancreaticoduodenal, right & left gastric | right & left branches of portal, into liver sinusoids |
connects with caval drainage at 1) esophagus, 2) rectum, 3) umbilicus, 4) retroperitoneal gut structures |
| posterior auricular | | unites with posterior division of retromandibular to form external jugular |
scalp behind ear |
| prepyloric | | right gastric | pylorus of stomach | helpful in locating pyloric region of stomach |
| prostatic plexus | deep dorsal v. of penis | internal iliac | penis & prostate | connects with vesical plexus (Latin, plexus = a braid) |
| pudendal, deep external | portion of superficial dorsal v. of penis/clitoris | femoral |
superficial penis/clitoris, pubic region |
| pudendal, superficial external | portion of superficial dorsal v. of penis/clitoris | great saphenous |
superficial penis/clitoris, pubic region |
| pudendal, internal | deep v. of clitoris/penis, v. of bulb, post. labial/scrotal, inferior rectal | internal iliac |
crus & bulb of clitoris/penis, urogenital triangle, anal triangle |
| Vein | Tributaries | Drains Into | Region Drained | Notes |
|---|
| pulmonary | | left atrium | lungs | usually two pulmonary vs. per side, sup. & inf., empty into left atrium |
| renal, left | left ovarian/testicular, left suprarenal, poss. left inferior phrenic | inferior vena cava | left ovary/testes, left ureter, left kidney, left suprarenal, left part of diaphragm | crosses abdominal aorta under the origin of superior mesenteric art. |
| renal, right | | inferior vena cava |
right kidney |
| retromandibular | union of superficial temporal & maxillary |
ant. & post. divisions of retromandibular; ant. division unites with facial to form common facial, post. division unites with post. auricular to form external jugular |
| sagittal sinus, inferior | superior cerebral vs. | unites with great cerebral v. to form straight sinus | cerebral hemispheres medially | lies on corpus callosum in free margin of falx cerebri |
| sagittal sinus, superior | superior cerebral vs. | confluens of sinuses | cerebral hemispheres | lies superiorly within falx cerebri; lacunae receive arachnoid granulations |
| saphenous, greater | dorsal venous arch of foot mediallly, perforating communications, superficial epigastric, superficial circumflex iliac, superficial external pudendal | femoral | superficial medial lower limb, lower abdominal wall, pudendal region |
(Greek, saphenous = clearly visible) |
| saphenous, lesser | dorsal venous arch of foot laterally | popliteal | superficial lateral foot & leg |
(Greek, saphenous = clearly visible) |
| sigmoid sinuses | transverse sinuses, superior petrosal sinuses | internal jugular v. | brain | lies within sigmoid groove covered by dura mater (Greek, sigmoid = resembles the greek letter sigma) |
| small cardiac | | coronary sinus |
right atrium & ventricle near inferior vena cava |
| straight sinus | inf. sagittal sinus & great cerebral vein | confluens of sinuses | deep cerebrum | lies within junction of falx cerebri & tentorium cerebelli |
| suprarenal | | left: left renal, usually in joined by left inferior phrenic; right: inferior vena cava |
suprarenal gland |
| testicular | pampiniform plexus, ureteric tribs. | left: left renal; right: inferior vena cava |
testis, ureter |
| thoracoepigastric | | lateral thoracic or axillary | lateral body wall | connects with superficial circumflex iliac & superficial epigastric, and can serve as collateral drainage |
| thyroid, inferior | | left brachiocephalic |
thyroid gland inferiorly |
| thyroid, middle | | internal jugular |
thyroid gland laterally |
| thyroid, superior | superior laryngeal | internal jugular |
thyroid gland superiorly |
| transverse sinuses | confluens of sinuses, inferior cerebral vs. | sigmoid sinuses | brain | lies within attachment of tentorium cerebelli to inner cranial vault |
| vena cava, inferior | union of paired common iliacs; lumbar vs. 4-1, rt. ovarian/testicular, renal vs., rt. suprarenal, rt. inferior phrenic, hepatic vs. | rt. atrium |
body below diaphragm |
| vena cava, superior | union of paired brachiocephalics; azygos arch | rt. atrium |
body above diaphragm except for pulmonary vs. & heart |
| pterygoid plexus | descending palatine, sphenopalatine, infraorbital, posterior superior alveolar, ant. & post. deep temporal, middle meningeal, masseteric, inferior alveolar | maxillary | meninges, nasal cavity, infratemporal fossa | connects with cavernous sinus & pharyngeal plexus (Greek, pterygoid = wing-shaped) |
| rectal plexus | | superior, middle & inferior rectal | rectum & anus | site of portal-systemic anastomosis (Latin, plexus = a braid) |
| uterine plexus | | uterine vs. to internal iliac | uterus & uterine tube | connects with ovarian v. & vaginal plexus (Latin, plexus = a braid) |
| vaginal plexus | | vaginal v. to internal iliac or uterine | connects with uterine & vesical plexus |
(Latin, plexus = a braid) |
| vena comitans nervi hypoglossi | | lingual |
tongue |
| venae cordis minimae | | chambers of heart |
walls of heart chambers |
| vertebral plexus, external | | adjacent segmental vs. | vertebral column & associated muscles | connects with internal vertebral plexus (Latin, plexus = a braid) |
| vertebral plexus, internal | | adjacent segmental vs. | spinal cord, meninges, vertebral column | connects with external vertebral plexus (Latin, plexus = a braid) |
5| vesical plexus | | superior & inferior vesical vs. to internal iliac | urinary bladder | connects with prostatic & rectal plexus or uterine & vaginal plexus (Latin, plexus = a braid) |
