| Posterior auricular vein | |
|---|---|
 Veins of the head and neck. (Posterior auricular visible behind ear.) | |
 Lateral head anatomy detail | |
| Details | |
| Drains from | Scalp |
| Drains to | External jugular vein |
| Artery | Posterior auricular artery |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | vena auricularis posterior |
| TA98 | A12.3.05.046 |
| TA2 | 4958 |
| FMA | 50851 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
The posterior auricular vein is a vein of the head. It begins from a plexus with the occipital vein and the superficial temporal vein, descends behind the auricle, and drains into the external jugular vein.
Structure
The posterior auricular vein begins upon the side of the head, in a plexus which communicates with the tributaries of the occipital vein and the superficial temporal vein. It descends behind the auricle. [1] It joins the posterior division of the retromandibular vein. [1] It drains into the external jugular vein. [1] [2]
It receive the stylomastoid vein, and some tributaries from the cranial surface of the auricle. [1]
Variation
The posterior auricular vein may drain into the internal jugular vein or a posterior jugular vein if there are variations in the external jugular vein. [1]
Clinical significance
Skin from the auriculomastoid region of the head may be grafted as a flap, keeping the posterior auricular vein with it. [1]
References
This article incorporates text in the
public domain from
page 646 of the 20th edition of
Gray's Anatomy (1918)
- ^ a b c d e f Kolhe, Pralhad S.; Leonard, Alan G. (1 November 1987). "The posterior auricular flap: anatomical studies". British Journal of Plastic Surgery. 40 (6): 562–569. doi: 10.1016/0007-1226(87)90149-4. ISSN 0007-1226. PMID 3690087.
- ^ Gladstone, Hayes B.; Morganroth, Greg S. (2007). "14 - Ear Reconstruction". Flaps and Grafts in Dermatologic Surgery. Saunders. pp. 179–190. doi: 10.1016/B978-1-4160-0316-8.50019-3. ISBN 978-1-4160-0316-8.
External links
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