Internal jugular vein

The internal jugular vein ( "internal jugular vein " ) is a vein of the neck. It passes behind the sternocleidomastoid muscle ( sternocleidomastoid muscle ) parallel to the common carotid artery ( carotid artery ) and the trachea. It begins as a continuation of the sigmoid sinus at the jugular foramen of the skull base and then runs into the depth of the neck, together with the carotid artery in the carotid sheath. It collects the blood from the occipital and the throat area. In some species, this vessel is not formed (eg in sheep ) or not comes regularly in all individuals before (eg the horse ). The internal jugular vein joins the venous angle with the external jugular vein and the subclavian vein.

The internal jugular vein is neither directly visible nor palpable. That is why one uses the ultrasound to study the vessel. As with the external jugular vein, the stuffing varied considerably depending on body position. In head-down position it is packed and up to 2 cm wide. When standing, they went almost empty. Ultrasound is often recognizes a venous valve at the lower end of the vein. The puncture of the vessel of the ultrasound and the head-down position is very important. Also by computer tomography (CT ) and magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI), the internal jugular vein are well represented.

In humans, the internal jugular vein is commonly used for the placement of central venous catheters, as it is almost straight and thus, the catheter can be more advanced to the heart. For this purpose one uses the palpable pulse of the carotid artery as indirect evidence for the vein pattern. Through a goiter the course of the internal jugular vein can be shifted far to the outside.

The occlusion of the internal jugular vein by a blood clot is called a jugular vein thrombosis. A jugular vein thrombosis combined with a high fever and a large number of Fusobacterium necrophorum, an indication of the Lemierre syndrome (septic Jugularvenenthrombophlebitis, Septic jugular vein thrombosis ) can be - a fatal disease.