Unusual patterns of superficial venous drainage in the neck: a case study of facial vein implications

Anatomical variants of the superficial veins of the head and neck are numerous and, in some cases, play a significant role in planning surgical procedures that avoid haemorrhage or other complications. Anatomical variations are also relevant for the application of medical procedures, the potential spread of infections and the understanding of venous pathology. For these reasons, it is essential to broaden the knowledge about these anatomical variations and to document them further. During a scheduled dissection of the head and neck region of the body of an 82-year-old female, several findings consistent with the presence of significant variations in the venous drainage of this area were observed. A venous variant involving primarily the facial vein (FV) was documented. A trident-shaped venous structure composed of the FV, the anterior jugular vein (AJV) and an accessory anterior jugular vein (AAJV) was identified on the right side of the cervical region. These three venous elements converge into a venous dilation, forming a common venous confluence (CVC), which continues as a common trunk that ultimately anastomoses with the cephalic vein (CV) and drains into the subclavian vein (SV). Due to its connections, the described variant has significant clinical relevance. The findings of this study suggest a strong correlation between embryogenesis of the vascular system of the head and neck.