Anatomy, Head and Neck: Internal Jugular Vein

The internal jugular vein is a paired venous structure that collects blood from the brain, superficial regions of the face, and neck, and delivers it to the right atrium. The internal jugular vein is a run-off of the sigmoid sinus. It arises in the posterior cranial fossa and exits the cranium through the jugular foramen, located at the base of the skull. As the internal jugular vein runs down the lateral neck, it drains the branches of the facial, retromandibular, and the lingual veins. The course of the internal jugular vein is directed caudally in the carotid sheath, accompanied by the vagus nerve posteriorly and the common carotid artery anteromedially. It lies just lateral and anterior to the internal and common carotid arteries. At the junction of the neck and thorax, the internal jugular vein combines with the subclavian vein to form the brachiocephalic or innominate vein. The left internal jugular vein is slightly smaller than the right internal jugular vein. Both veins contain valves located a few centimeters before the vessels drain into the subclavian vein.