Left external jugular vein

The left external jugular vein is a superficial vein of the neck that provides the primary venous drainage of the head into the left brachiocephalic vein, and subsequently into the cranial vena cava and the right atrium.

It originates from the confluence of the maxillary and linguofacial veins (or the common facial vein, depending on the species), usually near the angle of the mandible. It descends caudally within the jugular groove, bounded laterally by the brachiocephalicus muscle and medially by the sternocephalicus muscle. At the thoracic inlet, it joins the left subclavian vein to form the left brachiocephalic vein.