Upper limb
Subclavian vein
Vena subclavia
- Origin
- Continuation of the axillary vein at the lateral border of the first rib
- Insertion
- Passes anterior to scalenus anterior and joins the internal jugular vein behind the sternoclavicular joint to form the brachiocephalic vein
- Function
- Major venous trunk draining the upper limb and receiving lymphatic drainage at the venous angle
- Innervation
- Sympathetic perivascular nerves
- Movement & chain
- Located in the costoclavicular space anterior to the subclavian artery
- Palpation
- Not palpably accessible beneath the clavicle
- Clinical
- Effort thrombosis (Paget-Schroetter syndrome); complications of central venous catheterization include pneumothorax and hemothorax
- Segmental innervation
- Central venous return to superior vena cava
- In clinical practice
- Standard landmark for infraclavicular central venous access, dialysis catheters, and cardiac pacemaker lead insertion
- Region in the model
- Upper limb