Subclavian vein (left) (Vena subclavia)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
Continuation of the axillary vein from the first rib, running in front of the artery (the artery passes behind scalenus anterior) to join the internal jugular; the standard route for central venous lines and permanent pacemakers.
Clinical notes
Subclavian line carries higher pneumothorax risk than jugular but is comfier long-term; catheter-related thrombosis swells the arm rapidly — Paget-Schroetter syndrome in athletes.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the Subclavian vein (left)?
Continuation of the axillary vein from the first rib, running in front of the artery (the artery passes behind scalenus anterior) to join the internal jugular; the standard route for central venous lines and permanent pacemakers.
Why is the Subclavian vein (left) clinically important?
Subclavian line carries higher pneumothorax risk than jugular but is comfier long-term; catheter-related thrombosis swells the arm rapidly — Paget-Schroetter syndrome in athletes.
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