Cephalic vein
| Vein: Cephalic vein | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Superficial veins of the upper limb. | |
 | |
| Cross-section through the middle of upper arm. (Cephalic vein labeled at upper left.) | |
| Latin | vena cephalica |
| Gray's | subject #172 661 |
| Source | dorsal venous network of hand |
| Drains to | axillary vein, median cubital vein |
| Artery | deltoid branch of thoracoacromial artery |
| Dorlands / Elsevier |
v_05/12849786 |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
In human anatomy, the cephalic vein is a superficial vein of the upper limb.
It communicates with the basilic vein via the median cubital vein at the elbow and is located in the superficial fascia along the anterolateral surface of the biceps brachii muscle.
Superiorly the cephalic vein passes between the deltoid and pectoralis major muscles (deltopectoral groove) and through the deltopectoral triangle, where it empties into the axillary vein.
It is often visible through the skin, and its location in the deltopectoral groove is fairly consistent, making this site a good candidate for cannulation.
Additional images
Cross-section through the middle of the forearm.
The veins on the dorsum of the hand.
The deep veins of the upper extremity.
External link
Veins of upper limbs | |
|---|---|
| superficial - hand/forearm | Dorsal digital • Dorsal metacarpal • Dorsal network • Palmar digital • Intercapitular |
| superficial - arm | Cephalic • Median cubital • Accessory cephalic • Basilic • Median antebrachial |
| deep - hand/forearm | Palmar metacarpal • Superficial palmar arch • Deep palmar arch |
| deep - arm | Radial • Ulnar • Brachial • Axillary |
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