Superficial temporal vein

Vein: Superficial temporal vein
Veins of the head and neck. ("Sup. Temp." labeled at center, anterior to the ear.)
Bloodvessels of the eyelids, front view. (13, at left, is branch of the superficial temporal vein.)
Latin	venae temporales superficiales
Gray's	subject #167 645
Drains from	temple, scalp
Drains to	retromandibular vein
Artery	superficial temporal artery

The superficial temporal vein is a vein of the side of the head.

Path

It begins on the side and vertex of the skull in a plexus which communicates with the frontal vein and supraorbital vein, with the corresponding vein of the opposite side, and with the posterior auricular vein and occipital vein.

From this network frontal and parietal branches arise, and unite above the zygomatic arch to form the trunk of the vein, which is joined by the middle temporal vein emerging from the temporalis muscle.

It then crosses the posterior root of the zygomatic arch, enters the substance of the parotid gland, and unites with the internal maxillary vein to form the posterior facial vein.

Tributaries

The superficial temporal vein receives in its course the following:

• some parotid veins
• articular veins from the temporomandibular joint
• anterior auricular veins from the auricula
• the transverse facial vein from the side of the face

Additional images

Lateral head anatomy detail

Head anatomy anterior view

External links

• lesson4 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (parotid2)
• Diagram at Tufts.edu
• Diagram at stchas.edu

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated.

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