The angular vein is a

vein Veins are blood vessels in humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenate ...

of the face. It is the upper part of the facial vein, above its junction with the superior labial vein. It is formed by the junction of the

supratrochlear vein The frontal vein (supratrochlear vein) begins on the forehead in a venous plexus which communicates with the frontal branches of the superficial temporal vein. The veins converge to form a single trunk, which runs downward near the middle line of ...

and supraorbital vein, and joins with the superior labial vein. It drains the medial canthus, and parts of the

nose A nose is a protuberance in vertebrates that houses the nostrils, or nares, which receive and expel air for respiration alongside the mouth. Behind the nose are the olfactory mucosa and the sinuses. Behind the nasal cavity, air next pass ...

and the upper lip. It can be a route of spread of infection from the danger triangle of the face to the

cavernous sinus The cavernous sinus within the human head is one of the dural venous sinuses creating a cavity called the lateral sellar compartment bordered by the temporal bone of the skull and the sphenoid bone, lateral to the sella turcica. Structure The c ...

Structure

The angular vein is the upper part of the facial vein, above its junction with the superior labial vein. It it anastomoses with the

, and the supraorbital vein. Its connection with the supraorbital vein forms the superior ophthalmic vein that drains through the

orbit In celestial mechanics, an orbit is the curved trajectory of an object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an artificial satellite around an object or position in space such a ...

. This also connects it with the inferior ophthalmic vein and the

. These do not have valves. The angular vein itself may not contain valves. It receives the lateral nasal veins from the ala of the nose, and the inferior palpebral vein. The angular vein lies lateral to the angular nerve. It runs obliquely downward by the side of the nose. It passes under zygomaticus major muscle. It joins with the superior labial vein.

Function

The angular vein drains the medial canthus, and parts of the

and the upper lip.

Clinical significance

The angular vein may be affected by a thrombus. This can create problems for

endovascular treatment Interventional radiology (IR) is a medical specialty that performs various minimally-invasive procedures using medical imaging guidance, such as Fluoroscopy, x-ray fluoroscopy, CT scan, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or ultraso ...

Cavernous sinus thrombosis

Any

infection An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable d ...

of the mouth or face (such as the danger triangle of the face) can spread to the

via the angular veins. This is particularly as the veins are valveless. This can cause thrombosis. Squeezing pimples in this area should be avoided.

Additional images

Image:Gray515.png, Bloodvessels of the eyelids, front view. Image:Lateral head anatomy detail.jpg, Lateral head anatomy detail Image:Head ap anatomy.jpg, Head anatomy anterior view

References

External links

* http://www.dartmouth.edu/~humananatomy/figures/chapter_47/47-5.HTM {{Authority control Veins of the head and neck