712 THE VASCULAR SYSTEMS 



VEINS OF THE HEAD AND NECK. 



The veins of the head and neck may be subdivided into three groups: (1) The 

 veins of the exterior of the head and face. (2) The veins of the neck. (3) The 

 veins of the diploe and the interior of the cranium. 



Veins of the Exterior of the Head and Face (Fig. 495). 

 The veins of the exterior of the head and face are: 



Frontal. Superficial temporal. 



Supraorbital. Internal maxillary. 



Angular. Temporomaxillary. 



Facial. Posterior auricular. 



Occipital. 



The frontal vein (v. frontalis) commences on the anterior part of the skull in 

 a venous plexus which communicates with the anterior tributaries of the super- 

 ficial temporal vein. The veins converge to form a single trunk, which runs 

 downward near the middle line of the forehead parallel with the vein of the oppo- 

 site side. The two veins are joined, at the root of the nose, by a transverse branch 

 called the nasal arch (v. nasofrontalis), which receives some small veins from the 

 dorsum of the nose. Occasionally the frontal veins join to form a single trunk, 

 which bifurcates at the root of the nose into the two angular veins. At the root of 

 the nose the veins diverge and join the supraorbital vein, at the inner angle of 

 the orbit, to form the angular vein. 



The supraorbital vein (v. supraorbitalis) commences on the forehead, com- 

 municating with the anterior temporal vein, and runs downward and inward, 

 superficial to the Occipitofrontalis muscle, receiving tributaries from the neigh- 

 boring structures, and from the frontal vein of the diploe, and joins the frontal 

 vein at the inner angle of the orbit to form the angular vein. Previous to its 

 junction with the frontal vein, it sends through the supraorbital notch into the 

 orbit a branch which communicates with the ophthalmic vein. As this vessel 

 passes through the notch, it receives a diploic vein from the diploe of the frontal 

 bone, through a foramen at the bottom of the notch. 



The angular vein (v. angularis), formed by the junction of the frontal and 

 supraorbital veins, runs obliquely downward and outward on the side of the root 

 of the nose to the level of the lower margin of the orbit, where it becomes the facial 

 vein. It receives the veins of the ala nasi on its inner side and the superior pal- 

 pebral veins on its outer side; it, moreover, communicates with the ophthalmic 

 vein, thus establishing an important anastomosis between the facial vein and the 

 cavernous sinus. 



The facial vein (v. facialis anterior} commences at the side of the root of the nose, 

 being a direct continuation of the angular vein. It lies behind and follows a 

 less tortuous course than the facial artery. It passes obliquely downward and out- 

 ward, beneath the Zygo^naticus major and minor muscles, descends along the 

 anterior border of the Masseter, crosses over the body of the mandible with the 

 facial artery to beneath the angle, and unites with the anterior division of the 

 temporo maxillary vein (v. facialis posterior) to form the common facial vein. 



The common facial vein (u. facialis communis) is formed by the .union of the 

 facial and the anterior division of the temporomaxillary vein, just beneath the 

 angle of the mandible. The vein is covered by the Platysma, runs downward and 



