Occipital vein
Vena occipitalis
A vein of the back of the scalp that drains the occipital region and links with the dural sinuses through emissary veins.
At a glance
- English
- Occipital vein
- Latin (TA2)
- Vena occipitalis
- System
- Vein
- Region
- Head
- Side
- Paired, left and right
About the occipital vein
The occipital vein drains the back of the scalp. Its roots form a plexus spread over the occipital region, from the superior nuchal line and the external occipital protuberance up to the hinder part of the vertex. This plexus communicates with the posterior auricular and superficial temporal veins and with the corresponding vessels of the opposite side.
From the plexus the vein passes down and pierces the attachment of trapezius to the skull. It then usually dips into the suboccipital triangle, joining the venous plexus there and ending in the deep cervical and vertebral veins. Less often it runs with the occipital artery to reach the internal jugular vein, or it ends in the posterior auricular vein, through which it reaches the external jugular vein. These alternative endings mean that blood from the back of the head can reach several different neck veins.
The vein also has connections into the skull. The parietal emissary vein joins it to the superior sagittal sinus, and as it crosses the mastoid region it is usually joined by the mastoid emissary vein, which links it to the sigmoid sinus. A diploic vein of the occipital bone, running in the spongy bone of the skull vault, sometimes opens into it as well.
These emissary routes are of clinical interest. Because the scalp veins communicate directly with the dural sinuses, infection of the scalp can in principle spread inwards, and the mastoid emissary vein can bleed heavily during surgery on the mastoid region. The vein also drains the scalp territory of the occipital artery and is met in occipital flaps and in surgical approaches to the back of the skull.
Course and drainage
- Begins at
- Begins as a plexus on the back of the scalp between the external occipital protuberance, the superior nuchal line and the vertex.
- Drains into
- Usually joins the suboccipital venous plexus, deep cervical and vertebral veins; sometimes reaches the internal jugular vein, or the external jugular vein via the posterior auricular vein.
- Drains
- Drains the occipital part of the scalp and communicates with the superior sagittal and sigmoid sinuses through emissary veins.
Anthromica
See the occipital vein where it really sits, with every layer of the body around it.
- Every layer, one body. Peel from muscle to bone, nerve, vessel and organ, and turn it any way.
- English and Latin. Every structure named the way your exam names it.
- Quiz until it sticks. Short drills on the structures you keep missing.
Free to start. No card.
