Inferior ophthalmic vein
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At the time the article was created Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Kajanan Nithiyananthan had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Kajanan Nithiyananthan's current disclosures- Inferior ophthalmic vein (IOV)
The inferior ophthalmic vein (IOV) is a vein of the inferior orbit and is smaller than the more well-known superior ophthalmic vein (SOV).
Gross anatomy
Origin
The vein forms from a plexus of several veins within the anteroinferior orbit along the infraorbital margin from facial vein tributaries.
Course
courses posteriorly within the intraconal space adjacent to the inferior rectus muscle
exits the fibromuscular cone to become extraconal and divides into two terminal branches
Termination
superior branch: drains posteriorly through the superior orbital fissure (below the abducens nerve) into the cavernous sinus or forms a common trunk with the superior ophthalmic vein
inferior branch: drains inferiorly through the medial aspect of the inferior orbital fissure to the pterygoid venous plexus
Drainage
The vein drains parts of the orbit such as the lower eyelid, globe and extra-ocular muscles.
Communication
The infraorbital vein often communicates with the inferior ophthalmic vein. It is formed on the floor of the orbit, courses with the infraorbital nerve and exits via the inferior orbital fissure, draining into the pterygoid venous plexus.
References
- 1. Mcminn. Last's Anatomy. ISBN: 9780729537520
- 2. Keith L. Moore, Arthur F. Dalley. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. ISBN: 9780683061413
Incoming Links
- Orbital apex
- Inferior orbital fissure
- Ocular globe
- Cavernous sinus
- Pterygoid venous plexus
- Extraocular muscles
- Inferior orbital fissure contents (mnemonic)
- Extraconal orbital compartment
- Retina
- Nose
- Superior orbital fissure (mnemonic)
- Orbit
- Superior orbital fissure
- Medical abbreviations and acronyms (I)
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