General Medical Information

Lymphatic Vessels

Susan D. John
Michael D. Maves

The lymphatic system of the neck consists of numerous lymph nodes intimately connected with each other by lymphatic channels and the terminations of the thoracic and right lymphatic ducts. The deep cervical lymph nodes are numerous and prominent, and many of them are large. They form a chain embedded in the connective tissue of the carotid sheath. Most are in that portion of the sheath around the internal jugular vein. They extend from the base of the skull to the base of the neck. Two nodes that deserve particular attention are the superior jugulodigastric node at the junction of the internal jugular vein and the posterior belly of the digastric and the inferior juguloomohyoid node at the junction of that muscle and the internal jugular vein. Block resection of the neck in a standard radical or modified manner relies on reproducible and consistent lymphatic drainage pathways for success.