Clinical presentation of a persistent jugulocephalic vein

Abstract

AbstractThe clinical history is presented of a 46‐year‐old woman with a permanently distended left external jugular vein which passed anterior to the clavicle instead of entering the subclavian vein just superior to the clavicle in the usual manner. For cosmetic reasons the vein was excised. Embryologically, the vein passing anterior to the clavicle was a persistent jugulocephalic vein. This is a normal venous channel which usually disappears after an anastomosis develops between the cephalic vein and the subclavian vein, inferior to the clavicle.