Abstract
Duplication of the internal jugular vein (IJV) is a rare malformation. Three intraoperative cases are reported. In our personal experience, the clinical incidence of the anomaly is approximately 4 per 1,000 unilateral neck dissections. The venous duplication is at a variable height, affecting the superior part of the IJV. The lateral branch of the accessory nerve (XI) always passes medially to the anterior vein and laterally to the posterior vein, between the venous duplication. This is most often unilateral but sometimes bilateral. The IJV may be normal, dilated or ectatic. The discovery of this anatomical variation has practical implications during cervical lymph node clearance, either functional or radical, during oncological surgery necessitating viewing the IJV and its affluents and the lateral branch of the accessory nerve. The embryological explanation suggests a topographical "conflict" between the development of the IJV and the lateral branch of the accessory nerve. The French version of this article is available in the form of electronic supplementary material and can be obtained by using the Springer LINK server located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00276-002-0020-y
Résumé
La duplication de la veine jugulaire interne (VJI) est une malformation rare. Trois observations per-opératoires sont rapportées. Dans notre expérience personnelle, l'incidence clinique de cette anomalie est approximativement de 4 pour 1000 dissections cervicales unilatérales. La duplication veineuse est de hauteur variable, touchant la partie supérieure de la VJI. La branche latérale du nerf accessoire (XI) passe toujours médialement à la veine antérieure, latéralement à la veine postérieure, à travers la duplication veineuse. Celle-ci est le plus souvent unilatérale, parfois bilatérale. La VJI peut être normale, dilatée ou phlébectasique. La découverte de cette variation anatomique a des implications pratiques lors des curages cellulo-ganglionnaires cervicaux, fonctionnels ou radicaux à visée carcinologique, imposant le repérage de la VJI, de ses affluents et de la branche latérale du nerf accessoire. L'explication embryologique privilégie un «conflit» topographique de développement de la VJI et de la branche latérale du XI.
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Received: 6 August 2001 / Accepted: 29 December 2001 / Published online: 13 June 2002
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Prades, J., Timoshenko, A., Dumollard, J. et al. High duplication of the internal jugular vein: clinical incidence in the adult and surgical consequences, a report of three clinical cases. Surg Radiol Anat 24, 129–132 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-002-0020-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-002-0020-y