Brachiocephalic vein

Brachiocephalic vein
Brachiocephalic vein
	The thyroid gland and its relations. (Label for "Right innom. vein" and "Left innom. vein" visible at bottom center.)
	The arch of the aorta, and its branches. (Right innom. vein labeled at upper right; left innominate vein labeled at center top.)
Details
Source	Internal jugular; subclavian; superior intercostal; vertebral; inferior thyroid
Drains to	Superior vena cava
Artery	Brachiocephalic artery
Identifiers
Latin	vena brachiocephalica; vena anonyma
MeSH	D016121
TA98	A12.3.04.001
TA2	4772
FMA	4723
	Anatomical terminology

The left and right brachiocephalic veins (previously called innominate veins) are major veins in the upper chest, formed by the union of the ipsilateral internal jugular vein and subclavian vein (the so-called venous angle)^[1] behind the sternoclavicular joint.^[2] The left brachiocephalic vein is more than twice the length of the right brachiocephalic vein.^[3]

These veins merge to form the superior vena cava, a great vessel, posterior to the junction of the first costal cartilage with the manubrium of the sternum.^[3]

The brachiocephalic veins are the major veins returning blood to the superior vena cava.^[3]

^ Moore, Keith L. (2018). Clinically oriented anatomy (Eighth ed.). Philadelphia. p. 1004. ISBN 9781496347213.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Sinnatamby, Chummy S. (2011). Last's Anatomy (12th ed.). Elsevier Australia. p. 193. ISBN 978-0-7295-3752-0.
^ ^a ^b ^c Standring, Susan (2016). Gray's anatomy : the anatomical basis of clinical practice (Forty-first ed.). [Philadelphia]. p. 1027. ISBN 978-0-7020-5230-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)