Jugular vein

The jugular veins are in the neck and drain blood from the head, brain, face and neck and convey it toward the heart. The external jugular vein collects most of the blood from the outside of the skull and the deep parts of the face. It lies outside the sternocleidomastoid muscle, passes down the neck and joins the subclavian vein. The internal jugular vein collects blood from the brain, the outside of the face and the neck. It runs down the inside of the neck outside the internal and common carotid arteries and unites with the subclavian vein to form the innominate vein. The jugular veins are particularly prominent during congestive heart failure. When the patient is sitting or in a semirecumbent position, the height of the jugular veins and their pulsations provides an estimate of the central venous pressure and gives important information about whether the heart is keeping up with the demands on it or is failing. The word "jugular" refers to the throat or neck. It derives from the Latin "jugulum" meaning throat or collarbone and the Latin "jugum" meaning yoke. To go for the jugular is to attack a vital part that is particularly vulnerable.

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jugular vein n any of several veins of each side of the neck: as

a) a vein that collects the blood from the interior of the cranium, the superficial part of the face, and the neck, runs down the neck on the outside of the internal and common carotid arteries, and unites with the subclavian vein to form the brachiocephalic vein called also internal jugular vein

b) a smaller and more superficial vein that collects most of the blood from the exterior of the cranium and deep parts of the face and opens into the subclavian vein called also external jugular vein

c) a vein that commences near the hyoid bone and joins the terminal part of the external jugular vein or the subclavian vein called also anterior jugular vein

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any one of several veins in the neck. The internal jugular is a very large paired vein running vertically down the side of the neck and draining blood from the brain, face, and neck. It ends behind the sternoclavicular joint, where it joins the subclavian vein. The external jugular is a smaller paired vein running superficially down the neck to the subclavian vein and draining blood from the face, scalp, and neck. Its tributary, the anterior jugular, runs down the front of the neck.