714 THE VASCULAR SYSTEMS 



with the intracranial circulation, not only at its commencement by its tributaries, the angular 

 and supraorbital veins, communicating with the ophthalmic vein, a tributary of the cavernous 

 sinus, but also by its deep tributaries, which communicates through the pterygoid plexus with the 

 cavernous sinus by tributaries which pass through the foramen ovale and foramen lacerum medium, 

 These facts have an important bearing upon the surgery of some diseases of the face, for on 

 account of its patency the facial vein favors septic absorption, and therefore any phlegmonous 

 inflammation of the face following a poisoned wound is liable to set up thrombosis in the facial 

 vein, and detached portions of the clot may give rise to purulent foci in other parts of the body. 

 On account of its communications with the cerebral sinuses these thrombi are apt to extend 

 upward into them and so induce a fatal issue. 



The superficial temporal vein (vv. temporales superficiales) commences by a 

 minute plexus on the side and vertex of the skull, which communicates with the 

 frontal and supraorbital veins in front, the corresponding vein of the opposite 

 side, and the posterior auricular and occipital veins behind. From this network 

 anterior and posterior branches are formed which unite above the zygoma, form- 

 ing the trunk of the vein. The trunk is joined in this situation by a large vein, 

 the middle temporal (v. temporalis media), which receives blood from the .sub- 

 stance of the Temporal muscle and pierces the fascia at the upper border ol 

 the zygoma. The junction of the superficial temporal and the middle temporal 

 vein forms the common temporal vein (v. temporalis communis), which descends 

 between the external auditory meatus and the condyle of the mandible, enters the 

 substance of the parotid gland, and unites with the internal maxillary vein to fonr 

 the temporomaxillary vein. 



Tributaries. The common temporal vein receives in its course some parotid 

 veins, an articular branch from the'articulation of the mandible, anterior auricula] 

 veins from the external ear, and a vein of large size, the transverse facial (v. trans- 

 versa faciei), from the side of the face. The middle temporal vein, previous to its 

 junction with the temporal vein, receives a branch, the orbital vein (v. orbitalis) 

 which is formed by some external palpebral branches, and passes backward 

 between the layers of the temporal fascia. 



The pterygoid plexus (plexus pterygoideus) is of considerable size, and is situ- 

 ated between the Temporal and External pterygoid, and partly between the twc 

 Pterygoid muscles. It receives tributaries corresponding with the branches oi 

 the internal maxillary artery. Thus, it receives the middle meningeal veins, the 

 deep temporal, the pterygoid, masseteric, buccal, alveolar, some palatine veins, the 

 inferior dental, and a branch which communicates with the ophthalmic vein through 

 the sphenomaxillary fissure. This plexus communicates very freely with the 

 facial vein and with the cavernous sinus by branches through the foramen Vesalii, 

 foramen ovale, and foramen lacerum medium, at the base of the skull. 



The internal maxillary vein (v. maxillaris interna) is a short trunk which 

 accompanies the first part of the internal maxillary artery. It is formed by a 

 confluence of the veins of the pterygoid plexus, and passes backward between 

 the internal lateral ligament and the neck of the mandible, and unites with the 

 superficial temporal vein to form the temporomaxillary vein. 



The temporomaxillary vein (v. facialis posterior), formed by the union of 

 the superficial temporal and internal maxillary veins, descends in the substance 

 of the parotid gland, superficial to the external carotid artery," but beneath the 

 facial nerve between the ramus of the mandible and the Sternomastoid muscle. 

 It divides into two vessels, an anterior, sometimes called the deep facial vein, 

 which passes inward to join the facial vein, and a posterior, which is joined by the 

 posterior auricular vein and becomes the external jugular. 



The posterior auricular vein (v. auricularis posterior) commences upon the 

 side of the head by a plexus which communicates with the tributaries of the tem- 

 poral and occipital veins. It descends behind the external ear, and joins the 

 posterior division of the temporomaxillary vein, forming the external jugular. 



