Major veins of the upper limbs are formed by communicating many subcutaneous (or superficial) veins. These include two main veins:
The basilic vein (v.basilica)
Basilic vein (v.basilica) The cephalic vein (v.cephalica)

In this video, we will consider the anatomy, areas of blood drainage and anastomoses of the cephalic vein (v. cephalica)


This is the superficial vein of the hand, forearm and arm. It arises from the radial part of the venous network of the dorsum of the hand, being a continuation of the first dorsal metacarpal vein (v. metacarpalis dorsalis I).

It passes from the dorsum of the hand to the front side of the radial border of the forearm. Along its course, a large number of cutaneous veins of the forearm end by it, so that the vein enlarges, passing to the cubital fossa, where it anastomoses through the intermediate vein of the elbow with the basilic vein.

Then it continues to the arm, passes in the lateral groove of the biceps brachii muscle and ends by the axillary vein under the clavicle.


It drains blood from the radial part of the hand, forearm, and arm.
Let’s consider two more veins related to the cephalic vein.
The intermediate cubital vein (v. intermedia cubiti) is valveless, located in the anterior region of the elbow under the skin, passes obliquely from the cephalic vein to the basilic vein, anastomosing with deep veins.

The intermediate antebrachial vein (v. intermedia antebrachii) ends by the intermediate cubital vein in the anterior cubital region or divides into two branches, each of which independently ends by the cephalic and basilic veins.


Cephalic vein and its tributaries
- Cephalic vein
- v. cephalica
- First dorsal metacarpal vein
- v. metacarpalis dorsalis I
- Intermediate cubital vein
- v. inter media cubiti
- Intermediate antebrachial vein
- v. inter mediaantebrachii