Variations in Superficial Veins of Neck among Population of Eastern India in the Light of Embryological Explanation: A Cadaveric Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Development of veins of head and neck is complex. Variations in the venous architecture of head and neck includes persistence or complete obliteration of communication between Internal Jugular Vein (IJV) and External Jugular Vein (EJV) and also partial obliteration in EJV. Knowledge of variations in venous architecture is beneficial to avoid injuries to these veins during interventions like EJV cannulation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Aim: To study the variations in the venous architecture of the neck in the cadavers. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, Calcutta National Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India during December 2017 to December 2019. Total 26 specimens of both male and female cadavers were dissected, and variations in the venous architecture was noted, also each variation was explained in the light of embryology. Results: Retromandibular Vein (RMV) was found to be undivided in all 10 of the variations found in the eight male and two female cadavers. EJV was found to be absent in one specimen among 26 dissected. Communication between IJV and EJV was found in one specimen. In another specimen, EJV was found to be draining into IJV which can be embryologically seen as a communication between IJV and EJV while the caudal part of EJV had degenerated. Conclusion: Undivided RMV, particularly absent posterior division is not very uncommon in male and female in this ethnicity. Absence of common facial vein was more common in male as compared to female. Persistent communication between EJV and IJV were also more in male. Moreover occurrence of facial vein drainage into EJV was also remarkably high.