Quick Facts
Origin: Formed by the union of supratrochlear and supraorbital veins.
Course: Descends downwards and backwards, behind the facial artery and becomes the facial vein, distal to its junction with the superior labial vein.
Tributaries: External nasal, superior and inferior ophthalmic, and superior and inferior palpebral veins. Communicates with the cavernous sinus.
Drainage: Venous drainage from the lateral aspect of the nose, forehead, orbit, and eyelids.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The angular vein is formed by the union of supratrochlear and supraorbital veins, near the medial canthus of the eye.
Course
The angular vein descends downwards and backwards on the face behind the facial artery, but with a straighter course. It passes underneath the zygomaticus major muscle and joins with the superior labial vein. The angular vein changes its name to facial vein, distal to its junction with the superior labial vein.
Tributaries
The angular vein connects with the cavernous sinus via the superior and inferior ophthalmic veins. Additional tributaries include the external nasal veins and the superior and inferior palpebral veins.
Structures Drained
Accompanying the angular artery, the angular vein descends along the lateral aspect of the nose, draining the superficial structures of the face.
List of Clinical Correlates
- Cavernous sinus thrombosis
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Vein
A venous sinus is a vein with a thin wall of endothelium that is devoid of smooth muscle to regulate its diameter.
