Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

A case of an unusual arrangement of numerous tributaries to the middle temporal vein and its fenestration

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

With the increasing use of free tissue grafts for extensive reconstruction of the head and neck, it is important to document and understand the types of vascular variations. We report an unusual arrangement of numerous interconnecting tributaries to the medial temporal vein (MTV) in a 73-year-old male cadaver. Another unusual feature was the division of the MTV into three parallel segments, which reunited into a single stem. The presence of an extensive venous plexus in the temporal region may be hazardous for surgical operations. Surgeons performing vascular or reconstructive surgery should be aware of this unexpected variation of temporal region venous drainage in the hope of preventing inadvertent injury.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

References

  1. Abul-Hassan HS, Ascher G, Acland R (1986) Surgical anatomy and blood supply of the fascial layer of the temporal region. Plast Reconstr Surg 77:17–24

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Carmeliet P, Collen D (1997) Molecular analysis of blood vessel formation and disease. Am J Physiol 273:H2091–H2104

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Downie SA, Schalop L, Mazurek JN, Savitch G, Lelonek GJ, Olson TR (2007) Bilateral duplicated internal jugular veins: case study and literature review. Clin Anat 20:260–266

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Eichmann A, Yuan L, Moyon D, Lenoble F, Pardanaud L, Breant C (2005) Vascular development: from precursor cells to branched arterial and venous networks. Int J Dev Biol 49:259–267

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Longmore RB, McRae DA (1981) Middle temporal veins—a potential hazard in the Gillies’ Operation. Br J Oral Surg 19:129–131

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Rossi A, Tortori-Donati P (2001) Internal jugular vein phlebectasia and duplication. Pediatr Radiol 131:134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Shimizu F, Lin MP, Ellabban M, Evans GR, Cheng MH (2009) Superficial temporal vessels as reserved recipient site for microvascular head and neck reconstructionin vessel-depleted neck. Ann Plast Surg 62:134–138

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Towbin AJ, Kanal E (2004) A review of two cases of fenestrated internal jugular veins as seen by CT angiography. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 25:1433–1434

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Yancopoulos GD, Davis S, Gale NW, Rudge JS, Wiegand SJ, Holash J (2000) Vascular-specific growth factors and blood vessel formation. Nature 407:242–248

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Yano T, Tanaka K, Iida H, Kishimoto S, Okazaki M (2012) Usability of the middle temporal vein as a recipient vessel for free tissue transfer in skull-base reconstruction. Ann Plast Surg 68:286–289

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The dissecting work of Ivan Blažinovič and the photographic work of Franci Medvešček are highly acknowledged.

Conflict of interests

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Erika Cvetko.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cvetko, E. A case of an unusual arrangement of numerous tributaries to the middle temporal vein and its fenestration. Surg Radiol Anat 35, 355–357 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-012-1032-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-012-1032-x

Keywords

Navigation