Anterior jugular vein#References

{{Cleanup|date=January 2021|reason=The information is factual, but is poorly organised.|section}}

The anterior jugular vein lies lateral to the cricothyroid membrane.{{Citation|last=Cattano|first=Davide|title=Chapter 30 - Percutaneous Dilational Cricothyrotomy and Tracheostomy|date=2013-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781437727647000300|work=Benumof and Hagberg's Airway Management (Third Edition)|pages=613–639.e3|editor-last=Hagberg|editor-first=Carin A.|place=Philadelphia|publisher=W.B. Saunders|language=en|doi=10.1016/b978-1-4377-2764-7.00030-0|isbn=978-1-4377-2764-7|access-date=2021-01-12|last2=Cavallone|first2=Laura F.}}

It begins near the hyoid bone by the confluence of several superficial veins from the submandibular region.{{Gray's|page=647|inline=1}} Its tributaries are some laryngeal veins, and occasionally a small thyroid vein.

It descends between the median line and the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and, at the lower part of the neck, passes beneath that muscle to open into the termination of the external jugular vein, or, in some instances, into the subclavian vein.

Just above the sternum the two anterior jugular veins communicate by a transverse trunk, the venous jugular arch, which receive tributaries from the inferior thyroid veins; each also communicates with the internal jugular.

There are no valves in this vein.

The pretracheal lymph nodes follow the anterior jugular vein on each side of the midline.{{Citation|last=Rhys|first=Rhian|title=CHAPTER 46 - Cervical lymph nodes|date=2011-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780702031311000468|work=Clinical Ultrasound (Third Edition)|pages=920–937|editor-last=Allan|editor-first=Paul L.|place=Edinburgh|publisher=Churchill Livingstone|language=en|isbn=978-0-7020-3131-1|access-date=2021-01-12|editor2-last=Baxter|editor2-first=Grant M.|editor3-last=Weston|editor3-first=Michael J.}}

The anterior jugular vein varies considerably in size, bearing usually an inverse proportion to the external jugular. Most frequently, there are two anterior jugulars, a right and left.{{Citation|last=El-Sayed|first=Ivan H.|title=CHAPTER 34 - Complications of Tracheostomy and Tracheal Surgery|date=2009-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781416042204500389|work=Complications in Head and Neck Surgery (Second Edition)|pages=405–424|editor-last=Eisele|editor-first=David W.|place=Philadelphia|publisher=Mosby|language=en|isbn=978-1-4160-4220-4|access-date=2021-01-12|last2=Bhatki|first2=Amol M.|last3=Khabie|first3=Nissim|editor2-last=Smith|editor2-first=Richard V.}} However, there is sometimes only one.

A duplicate anterior jugular vein may be present on one side, which may cross over the midline.

The anterior jugular vein, if present, is easily identified using ultrasound of the neck.{{Citation|last=Rhys|first=Rhian|title=CHAPTER 45 - Ultrasound of the neck|date=2011-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780702031311000456|work=Clinical Ultrasound (Third Edition)|pages=890–919|editor-last=Allan|editor-first=Paul L.|place=Edinburgh|publisher=Churchill Livingstone|language=en|isbn=978-0-7020-3131-1|access-date=2021-01-12|editor2-last=Baxter|editor2-first=Grant M.|editor3-last=Weston|editor3-first=Michael J.}}

The anterior jugular vein may be damaged during tracheotomy, causing significant bleeding.{{Citation|last=Osborn|first=Timothy Marx|title=Chapter 34 - The Surgical Airway|date=2012-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781416025276000347|work=Current Therapy In Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery|pages=275–281|editor-last=Bagheri|editor-first=Shahrokh C.|place=Saint Louis|publisher=W.B. Saunders|language=en|isbn=978-1-4160-2527-6|access-date=2021-01-12|last2=Dierks|first2=Eric J.|editor2-last=Bell|editor2-first=R. Bryan|editor3-last=Khan|editor3-first=Husain Ali}}{{Citation|last=Gross|first=Ronald I.|title=CHAPTER 17 - AIRWAY MANAGEMENT: WHAT EVERY TRAUMA SURGEON SHOULD KNOW, FROM INTUBATION TO CRICOTHYROIDOTOMY|date=2008-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780323044189500217|work=Current Therapy of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care|pages=95–105|editor-last=Asensio|editor-first=JUAN A.|place=Philadelphia|publisher=Mosby|language=en|isbn=978-0-323-04418-9|access-date=2021-01-12|last2=Jacobs|first2=Lenworth M.|editor2-last=Trunkey|editor2-first=DONALD D.}}{{Citation|last=Minokadeh|first=Anushirvan|title=CHAPTER 49 - Emergency Airway Management|date=2010-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781416037736100497|work=Cardiac Intensive Care (Second Edition)|pages=598–631|editor-last=Jeremias|editor-first=Allen|place=Philadelphia|publisher=W.B. Saunders|language=en|isbn=978-1-4160-3773-6|access-date=2021-01-12|last2=Wilson|first2=William C.|editor2-last=Brown|editor2-first=David L.}} The significant variation in vein course, such as duplicate veins, creates this risk. Performing a midline incision helps to avoid the anterior jugular vein.

Image:Gray384.png|Section of the neck at about the level of the sixth cervical vertebra.

Image:Venenwinkel.png|Veins of the neck and chest

{{Reflist}}

{{VeinsHeadNeck}}

{{Portal bar|Anatomy}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Veins of the head and neck