The venous drainage of the head and neck follows a path quite similar to that of the blood supply, originating from three main sources and ending in the internal and external jugular veins.

Figure 1. Illustration of the venous drainage (not all branches and connections are visible)

Description

The venous drainage of the head and neck begins from three main venous systems:

  1. Intracranial: Cerebral veins (sinuses)
  2. Superficial veins
  3. Deep veins

These sources form the two main veins of the neck — the internal and external jugular veins. These veins drain all of the blood from the head and neck and are somewhat comparable to the internal and external carotid arteries.

The schematic drawing below demonstrates the path and relation of these groups of veins.

Figure 2. Schematic drawing of the venous drainage

Cerebral veins

In terms of the

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