Posterior auricular vein

The posterior auricular vein is a vein of the head. It begins from a plexus with the occipital vein and the superficial temporal vein, descends behind the auricle, and drains into the external jugular vein.

Posterior auricular vein
Veins of the head and neck. (Posterior auricular visible behind ear.)
Lateral head anatomy detail
Details
Drains from	Scalp
Drains to	External jugular vein
Artery	Posterior auricular artery
Identifiers
Latin	vena auricularis posterior
TA98	A12.3.05.046
TA2	4958
FMA	50851
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

Structure

The posterior auricular vein begins upon the side of the head, in a plexus which communicates with the tributaries of the occipital vein and the superficial temporal vein. It descends behind the auricle.^[1] It joins the posterior division of the retromandibular vein.^[1] It drains into the external jugular vein.^[1][2]

It receive the stylomastoid vein, and some tributaries from the cranial surface of the auricle.^[1]

Variation

The posterior auricular vein may drain into the internal jugular vein or a posterior jugular vein if there are variations in the external jugular vein.^[1]

Clinical significance

Skin from the auriculomastoid region of the head may be grafted as a flap, keeping the posterior auricular vein with it.^[1]

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 646 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

1. Kolhe, Pralhad S.; Leonard, Alan G. (1 November 1987). "The posterior auricular flap: anatomical studies". British Journal of Plastic Surgery. 40 (6): 562–569. doi:10.1016/0007-1226(87)90149-4. ISSN 0007-1226. PMID 3690087.
2. Gladstone, Hayes B.; Morganroth, Greg S. (2007). "14 - Ear Reconstruction". Flaps and Grafts in Dermatologic Surgery. Saunders. pp. 179–190. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4160-0316-8.50019-3. ISBN 978-1-4160-0316-8.

External links

• lesson4 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (parotid2)