A Rare Variation in the Veins of the Head and Neck

The knowledge of the variations in the venous pattern of the head & neck, which may be the cause of severe hemorrhage is very important for the Physicians, Vascular surgeons and the Intervention radiologists. During dissection for Medical students in the Department of Anatomy of Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumakuru, a variation in the pattern of veins of Head &Neck was observed on the right side of a male cadaver. The facial vein presented a normal course from its origin up to the base of mandible, and then it joined with the anterior division of retromandibular vein to form the Common facial vein, which drained into a common trunk along with External jugular vein, Posterior External jugular Vein and Deep cervical veins. Common trunk opened into Subclavian vein. Sound awareness regarding the variations which involve the Facial, Subclavian, External & Internal Jugular veins is important in vascular reconstructive facio maxillary surgeries, in surgical interventions for embolism & catheterization procedures during which these can be easily punctured in cases of variations.