Vertebral vein

At a glance

English

Vertebral vein

Latin (TA2)

Vena vertebralis

System

Vein

Region

Neck

Side

Paired, left and right

About the vertebral vein

The vertebral vein is a deep vein of the neck, one on each side. It collects blood from the vertebral canal and the deep muscles at the back of the upper neck and carries it down to the root of the neck, where it empties into the brachiocephalic vein. Throughout most of its length it travels inside the bony tunnel made by the stacked transverse foramina of the cervical vertebrae, sharing that tunnel with the vertebral artery.

Its beginning lies in the suboccipital triangle, below the back of the skull. Here many small veins leave the internal vertebral venous plexus, emerging between the atlas and the skull. They are joined by muscular veins from the deep suboccipital muscles, and the vessel so formed passes into the transverse foramen of the atlas. As it descends it does not stay a single channel: it breaks up into a close-knit network that wraps around the vertebral artery from the first to the sixth cervical vertebra.

At the level of the sixth cervical vertebra the network gathers again into one trunk, which leaves the lowest of these foramina. It then passes forwards and down to open into the back of the brachiocephalic vein close to where that vein begins. A pair of valves sits at its mouth and stops blood running back up the neck. On the right, the vein passes in front of the subclavian artery's first part on its way to its termination.

Because it drains the internal vertebral plexus, the vertebral vein is part of the valveless network linking the veins of the spinal canal, skull and trunk, a route by which infection or tumour cells may spread. Its close wrapping of the vertebral artery also matters in surgery and in injuries to the cervical spine, where the vein can bleed briskly from within the transverse foramina.

Course and drainage

Begins at

Forms in the suboccipital triangle from small veins of the internal vertebral venous plexus, emerging between the occiput and the atlas, together with veins of the deep suboccipital muscles.

Drains into

Leaves the transverse foramen of the sixth cervical vertebra as a single trunk and opens into the posterior aspect of the brachiocephalic vein near its origin; two valves sit at the opening.

Drains

Drains the internal vertebral venous plexus, the upper cervical spinal canal and the deep muscles of the back of the upper neck.