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Accessory Cephalic Vein
Cardiovascular System

Accessory Cephalic Vein

Vena cephalica accessoria

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Quick Facts

Origin: Dorsal venous network.

Course: Superiorly along forearm.

Tributaries: No named tributaries.

Drainage: Hand and forearm.

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Origin

The accessory cephalic vein originates from the medial aspect of the dorsal venous network (Standring, 2016). It may also arise from the:

- dorsal aspect of the distal forearm (40%);

- ulnar portion of the dorsal venous arch (30%);

- cephalic vein in the forearm (15%) (Tubbs et al., 2016)

Course

The accessory cephalic vein courses in a superolateral direction along the posterior aspect of the forearm. It ends by uniting with the cephalic vein below the elbow (Standring, 2016, Doyle and Botte, 2003).

Tributaries

There are no named tributaries.

Structures Drained

The accessory cephalic vein contributes to the drainage of the hand and forearm.

References

Doyle, J. R. and Botte, M. J. (2003) Surgical Anatomy of the Hand and Upper Extremity. LWW medical book collection: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41 edn.: Elsevier Limited.

Tubbs, R. S., Shoja, M. M. and Loukas, M. (2016) Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation. Wiley.

Complete Anatomy

The world's most advanced 3D anatomy platform

Complete Anatomy