Quick Facts
Origin: Parenchyma of thyroid gland.
Course: Passes inferiorly and obliquely to join the brachiocephalic vein.
Tributaries: Inferior laryngeal, tracheal, and esophageal veins.
Drainage: Thyroid gland.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The inferior thyroid veins originate from a glandular venous plexus. The venous plexus is also linked to the superior and middle thyroid veins.
Course
The inferior thyroid veins descend from their glandular point of origin, travel superficial to the trachea, and insert into the brachiocephalic veins, posterior to the manubrium of the sternum. As the right inferior thyroid vein makes its descent, it crosses the brachiocephalic trunk near its termination point in the right brachiocephalic vein (Standring, 2016).
The inferior thyroid veins lie superficial to the trachea, inferior to the lower borders of the thyroid gland, deep to the sternocleidomastoid, sternothyroid and sternohyoid muscles, and relatively anteromedial to the left and right common carotid arteries.
Tributaries
The inferior thyroid vein receives the tracheal, the esophageal, and the inferior laryngeal veins.
Structures Drained
The inferior thyroid vein drains the thyroid gland.
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice., 41st edition. Elsevier Limited.
