Retromandibular vein

Posterior

fossa emissary veins. The axial drawing illustrates petrosquamosal emissary vein and its relation to dural venous system. 1, transverse sinus; 2, sigmoid sinus; 3, inferior petrosal sinus; 4, superior petrosal sinus; 5, petrosquamosal sinüs draining into retromandibular vein; 6, retromandibular vein draining into the external jugular vein; 7, sphenoparietal sinus

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The retromandibular vein, also known as the posterior facial vein, runs through the substance of the parotid gland.

Gross anatomy

Origin and course

The retromandibular vein is formed, usually within the parotid, by the confluence of the maxillary vein and the superficial temporal vein. It lies deep to the facial nerve and superficial to the external carotid artery.

Branches

The retromandibular vein divides into two branches:

anterior: joins the (anterior) facial vein, forming the common facial vein which drains into the internal jugular vein
posterior: joins the posterior auricular vein, forming the external jugular vein