The suboccipital venous plexus drains deoxygenated blood from the back of the head.
It communicates with the
external vertebral venous plexuses
External may refer to:
* External (mathematics), a concept in abstract algebra
* Externality, in economics, the cost or benefit that affects a party who did not choose to incur that cost or benefit
* Externals, a fictional group of X-Men antagon ...
. The external vertebral venous plexuses travel inferiorly from this
suboccipital region to drain into the
brachiocephalic vein
The left and right brachiocephalic veins (previously called innominate veins) are major veins in the upper chest, formed by the union of each corresponding internal jugular vein and subclavian vein. This is at the level of the sternoclavicular j ...
. The
occipital vein
The occipital vein is a vein of the scalp. It originates from a plexus around the external occipital protuberance and superior nuchal line to the back part of the vertex of the skull. It usually drains into the internal jugular vein, but may also ...
joins in the formation of the plexus deep to the musculature of the back and from here drains into the external jugular vein.
The plexus surrounds segments of the
vertebral artery
The vertebral arteries are major arteries
An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry o ...
.
Veins of the head and neck
{{circulatory-stub