Subclavian vein

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Subclavian vein" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Subclavian vein
The thyroid gland and its relations. (Right subclavian vein visible at bottom left, left subclavian vein visible at bottom right.)
Diagram showing completion of development of the parietal veins. (Subclavian vein labeled at right, third from top.)
Details
Drains from	Upper extremity
Source	Axillary vein, external jugular vein
Drains to	Brachiocephalic vein
Artery	Subclavian artery
Identifiers
Latin	vena subclavia
MeSH	D013350
TA98	A12.3.08.002
TA2	4953
FMA	4725
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The subclavian vein is a paired large vein, one on either side of the body, that is responsible for draining blood from the upper extremities, allowing this blood to return to the heart. The left subclavian vein plays a key role in the absorption of lipids, by allowing products that have been carried by lymph in the thoracic duct to enter the bloodstream. The diameter of the subclavian veins is approximately 1–2 cm, depending on the individual.^{[medical citation needed]}