Internal jugular vein (Vena jugularis interna)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
Collects intracranial and facial blood descending in the carotid sheath beside the carotid artery to the brachiocephalic vein; the classic central-line target via Sedillot triangle between the two heads of sternocleidomastoid.
Clinical notes
Septic thrombophlebitis from IV drug use or catheters (Lemierre syndrome) sends septic pulmonary emboli; high-neck surgery injuring its bulb causes roaring venous haemorrhage and air embolism risk.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the Internal jugular vein?
Collects intracranial and facial blood descending in the carotid sheath beside the carotid artery to the brachiocephalic vein; the classic central-line target via Sedillot triangle between the two heads of sternocleidomastoid.
Why is the Internal jugular vein clinically important?
Septic thrombophlebitis from IV drug use or catheters (Lemierre syndrome) sends septic pulmonary emboli; high-neck surgery injuring its bulb causes roaring venous haemorrhage and air embolism risk.
Source & license
BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). license details