Superficial Lateral Cervical Lymph Vessels
Vasa lymphoidei cervicalis laterales superficiales
Read moreQuick Facts
Location: Along the course of the external jugular vein.
Drainage: The parotid nodes and/or infraauricular nodes.
Direction of Flow: Supraclavicular nodes > jugular trunk > thoracic duct (left) or right lymphatic duct.
Description
The superficial lateral cervical vessels are also known as the external jugular vessels due to their close anatomical relationship to the external jugular vein. These vessels are found along the course of this vein between the inferior aspect of the parotid gland and the supraclavicular lymph nodes. There are nodes intercalated along the course of the efferent vessels of the parotid nodes and/or the infraauricular nodes.
The efferent vessels create connections either directly into the supraclavicular nodes, or the most inferior of the internal jugular nodes, from where lymph fluid will drain via the jugular trunk to the right lymphatic trunk or the thoracic trunk on the left (Földi et al., 2012).
References
Földi, M., Földi, E., Strößenreuther, R. and Kubik, S. (2012) Földi's Textbook of Lymphology: for Physicians and Lymphedema Therapists. Elsevier Health Sciences.
