title: Venous drainage of the face.
abstract: The venous anatomy of the face was examined in 12 fresh cadavers. Venograms and arteriovenograms were obtained after the injection of contrast medium. In 8 of the 12 cadavers, a large loop was formed by the facial vein, the supratrochlear vein, and the superficial temporal vein, which became the main trunk vein of the face. In 4 of the 12 cadavers, the superior lateral limb of the loop vein was less well developed. The loop vein generally did not accompany the arteries of the face. Cutaneous branches of the loop vein formed a polygonal venous network in the skin, while communicating branches ran toward deep veins. These findings suggest that blood from the dermis of the face is collected by the polygonal venous network and enters the loop vein through the cutaneous branches, after which blood flows away from the face through the superficial temporal vein, the facial vein, and the communicating branches and enters the deep veins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: satoko-o@fujita-hu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Imanishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Research Institute of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (RIPRS), Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okumoto
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D005145:Face / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D010690:Phlebography; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D014680:Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: Communicating vein; Cutaneous vein; Venous anatomy of the face; Venous territory