Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Anterior jugular vein
Introduction
The anterior jugular vein begins near the hyoid bone by the confluence of several superficial veins from the submaxillary region.
It descends between the median line and the anterior border of the Sternocleidomastoideus, and, at the lower part of the neck, passes beneath that muscle to open into the termination of the external jugular, or, in some instances, into the subclavian vein.
It varies considerably in size, bearing usually an inverse proportion to the external jugular; most frequently there are two anterior jugulars, a right and left; but sometimes only one.
Its tributaries are some laryngeal veins, and occasionally a small thyroid 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.
Additional images
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Section of the neck at about the level of the sixth cervical vertebra.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]