Head & Neck Vasculature, Venous Drainage and Lymphatics

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Vocabulary flashcards covering the arteries, veins, and lymphatic structures of the head and neck including origins, courses, branches, and clinical significance.

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57 Terms

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Subclavian artery

Major artery supplying upper limbs, neck, and brain; right arises from brachiocephalic trunk, left from aortic arch; becomes axillary artery lateral to anterior scalene.

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Parts of subclavian artery

Divided by anterior scalene: 1st part (medial), 2nd part (posterior), 3rd part (lateral).

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Internal thoracic artery

Branch of 1st part of subclavian; descends along sternum, gives anterior intercostal arteries; supplies anterior thoracic wall and breasts.

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Vertebral artery

Branch of 1st part of subclavian; ascends C6–C1 transverse foramina, enters foramen magnum; supplies brain and spinal cord.

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Thyrocervical trunk

Anterosuperior branch of 1st part of subclavian; immediately divides into inferior thyroid, ascending cervical, suprascapular, and cervicodorsal arteries.

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Inferior thyroid artery

Terminal branch of thyrocervical trunk; primary visceral artery of neck supplying thyroid, parathyroids, larynx, trachea, esophagus.

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Ascending cervical artery

Branch of inferior thyroid; ascends anterior to cervical transverse processes; supplies lateral muscles of upper neck.

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Suprascapular artery

Branch of thyrocervical trunk; passes posterior to clavicle to scapula; supplies posterior scapular muscles.

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Cervicodorsal (transverse cervical) trunk

Branch of thyrocervical trunk; crosses anterior scalene; supplies brachial plexus vasa nervorum and scapular muscles via superficial cervical and dorsal scapular branches.

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Costocervical trunk

Posterior branch of 2nd part of subclavian; divides into superior intercostal and deep cervical arteries.

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Superior (supreme) intercostal artery

Branch of costocervical trunk; supplies first two posterior intercostal spaces.

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Deep cervical artery

Branch of costocervical trunk; supplies deep posterior neck muscles.

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Common carotid artery

Right from brachiocephalic trunk, left from aortic arch; ascends in carotid sheath to superior border of thyroid cartilage where it divides.

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Internal carotid artery

Direct continuation of common carotid; no cervical branches; enters skull via carotid canal to supply brain and orbit (anterior cerebral, middle cerebral, ophthalmic branches).

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Ophthalmic artery

Branch of internal carotid; passes through optic canal; supplies eyeball and extra-ocular structures.

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External carotid artery (ECA)

Branch of common carotid supplying most external head and neck structures; terminates as maxillary and superficial temporal arteries.

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Superior thyroid artery

Anterior ECA branch; runs to thyroid gland; gives superior laryngeal artery to larynx.

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Lingual artery

Anterior ECA branch; deep to hyoglossus; supplies tongue via deep lingual and sublingual branches.

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Facial artery

Anterior ECA branch; courses over mandible to face; supplies submandibular gland and facial structures; gives ascending palatine, tonsillar, submental branches.

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Ascending pharyngeal artery

Sole medial ECA branch; ascends deep to internal carotid; supplies pharynx, prevertebral muscles, middle ear, meninges.

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Occipital artery

Posterior ECA branch; ascends with digastric posterior belly to posterior scalp.

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Posterior auricular artery

Posterior ECA branch; ascends between external acoustic meatus & mastoid; supplies parotid gland, auricle, temporal bone structures.

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Superficial temporal artery

Terminal ECA branch; emerges between TMJ and auricle; supplies frontolateral scalp; gives transverse facial artery.

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Transverse facial artery

Branch of superficial temporal; passes through parotid over masseter; supplies parotid gland, duct, masseter, facial skin; anastomoses with facial artery.

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Maxillary artery

Terminal ECA branch; courses through infratemporal & pterygopalatine fossae; supplies deep face, jaws, nasal cavity, meninges.

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Middle meningeal artery

Maxillary branch in infratemporal fossa; enters cranial cavity via foramen spinosum; supplies dura and calvaria; vulnerable at pterion.

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Muscular (pterygoid) branches

Maxillary branches to muscles of mastication and buccinator.

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Inferior alveolar artery

Maxillary branch; enters mandibular foramen, exits mental foramen as mental artery; supplies mandible, teeth, chin, mylohyoid.

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Posterior superior alveolar artery

Maxillary branch; descends on maxilla; supplies maxillary molars & premolars, sinus mucosa, gingiva.

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Infraorbital artery

Maxillary branch in pterygopalatine fossa; enters orbit via inferior orbital fissure, emerges infraorbital foramen; supplies inferior orbit and face; gives anterior & middle superior alveolar arteries to upper incisors/canines.

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Descending palatine artery

Maxillary branch; descends to palate, dividing into greater and lesser palatine arteries to hard & soft palate mucosa and glands.

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Sphenopalatine artery

Terminal branch of maxillary; passes through sphenopalatine foramen; major blood supply to nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.

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Supraorbital & supratrochlear veins

Anterior scalp veins draining to facial vein or cavernous sinus via ophthalmic veins.

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Superficial temporal vein

Drains scalp anterior to auricle; joins maxillary vein to form retromandibular vein.

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Posterior auricular vein

Drains scalp posterior to auricle; joins posterior branch of retromandibular to form external jugular vein.

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Occipital vein

Drains posterior scalp; empties into internal jugular vein.

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Facial vein

Begins at medial orbit (ophthalmic veins); descends to join anterior retromandibular vein then IJV; facial infections can spread to cavernous sinus via superior ophthalmic vein.

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Anterior jugular vein

Starts at hyoid from submandibular tributaries; descends anterior neck, forms jugular venous arch, empties into EJV or subclavian.

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External jugular vein (EJV)

Formed by posterior auricular + posterior retromandibular veins; descends superficial to SCM; drains into subclavian vein.

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Retromandibular vein

Formed by superficial temporal and maxillary veins within parotid gland; divides into anterior branch (joins facial) and posterior branch (joins posterior auricular).

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Pterygoid venous plexus

Network around pterygoid muscles; connects to facial vein anteriorly, cavernous sinus superiorly, and EJV via maxillary vein; potential infection pathway.

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Internal jugular vein (IJV)

Originates at jugular foramen; descends in carotid sheath; joins subclavian to form brachiocephalic vein; has superior and inferior bulbs, latter with bicuspid valve.

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Pharyngeal veins

Drain pharyngeal venous plexus into IJV posterior to ramus of mandible.

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Lingual veins

Drain tongue; empty into IJV near angle of mandible (often via common trunk with facial vein).

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Superior thyroid vein

Drains superior thyroid; empties into IJV just below angle of mandible.

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Middle thyroid vein

Drains mid-portion of thyroid; enters lower IJV.

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Inferior thyroid veins

Drain inferior thyroid; descend to brachiocephalic veins (not IJV).

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Superficial lymphatic vessels

Accompany veins; drain to superficial ring of lymph nodes then to deep cervical nodes.

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Deep cervical lymph nodes

Chain along IJV receiving all head & neck lymph; efferents form jugular lymphatic trunk.

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Occipital lymph nodes

Superficial nodes over superior nuchal line; drain posterior scalp.

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Mastoid (posterior auricular) nodes

Located posterior to external acoustic meatus; drain posterolateral scalp and auricle.

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Superficial parotid nodes

Anterior to external auditory meatus; drain lateral face and scalp.

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Submandibular lymph nodes

In submandibular triangle; drain upper lip, lateral tongue, cheek, gingiva, nasal cavity, submental nodes.

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Submental lymph nodes

In submental triangle; drain central lower lip, floor of mouth, apex of tongue, mandibular incisors.

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Jugulodigastric (tonsillar) node

Superior deep cervical node inferior to posterior belly of digastric at IJV; first node to enlarge with tonsillar or pharyngeal infection.

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Juguloomohyoid node

Deep cervical node at omohyoid crossing of IJV; sentinel for tongue carcinoma.

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Jugular lymphatic trunk

Efferent vessel of deep cervical nodes; drains into thoracic duct (left) or IJV/brachiocephalic vein (right).