The thyroid gland and its relations. (Right subclavian vein visible at bottom left, left subclavian vein visible at bottom right.)
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| colspan="2" |
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| colspan="2" |Diagram showing completion of development of the parietal veins. (Subclavian vein labeled at right, third from top.)
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|Latin
|colspan="2"|v. subclavia
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|
|colspan="2"|[subject #172 ]
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|Drains from
|colspan="2"|axillary vein
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|Drains to
|colspan="2"|brachiocephalic vein
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|Artery
|colspan="2"|subclavian artery
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|MeSH
|colspan="2"|[A07.231.908.877]
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|Dorlands/Elsevier
|colspan="2"|[/]
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The subclavian vein is a continuation of the axillary vein and runs from the outer border of the first rib to the medial border of anterior scalene muscle. From here it joins with the internal jugular vein to form the innominate vein, also known as the brachiocephalic vein.
The subclavian vein follows the subclavian artery and is separated posteriorly by the insertion of anterior scalene. Its diameter is approximately that of a man's small finger.
The left subclavian vein is the site at which chylomicrons formed in the intestines from dietery fat and lipids etc enter the blood stream from the thoracic duct
The subclavian vein is also where water and solutes from the lymphatic system enter the circulatory system.
