Internal thoracic vein

The internal thoracic vein is a paired vein that runs along the ventral aspect of the thoracic cavity on either side of the sternum, accompanying the internal thoracic artery, and is responsible for draining the ventral thoracic wall, sternum, mediastinal structures, and portions of the diaphragm and cranial abdominal wall; it is formed caudally by the confluence of cranial epigastric and musculophrenic veins and receives tributaries including ventral intercostal veins, perforating branches, and mediastinal veins, before emptying into the cranial vena cava either directly or via the brachiocephalic veins.