Lymphatic Drainage

of Head and Neck

Regional Nodes

 Occipital nodes
 Retroauricular ( mastoid )
 Parotid
 Buccal ( facial )
 Submandibular
 Submental
 Anterior cervical nodes
 Superficial cervical nodes
 Retropharyngeal
 Laryngeal
 Tracheal
Deep cervical nodes

 Jugulodigastric node
 Jugulo-omohyoid node
 Nodes location drainage

 Occipital: occipital bone…….drain Back of scalp

 Mastoid: behind ear over mastoid process……scalp above ear, auricle, ext. auditory meatus
 Parotid: on or within parotid……scalp above parotid, eyelids, gland, auricle,ext. auditory meatus
 Buccal: in cheek in buccinators……
 Submandibular: superficial to submandibular gland just below lower margin of jaw….. Front of
scalp, nose, cheek, upper lip.lower lip, ant. 2/3 of tongue, floor of mouth, vestibule, gums
 Submental: submental triangle just below chin……. Tip of tongue, floor of ant part of mouth,
incisor teeth, center part of lower lip, skin of chin
 Ant. Cervical: along the course of ant. Jugular vein infront of the neck…….. Skin & superficial
tissues from front f neck
 Superficial cervical nodes: external jugular vein on the side of neck………skin from angle of jaw,
skin over lower part of parotid, lobe of ear.
 Retropharyngeal node: behind pharynx and infront of vertebral column……nasal pharynx,
auditory tube, vertebral column
 Larygngeal : infront of larynx……..larynx
 Tracheal: alongside trachea………neighbouring structures and thyroid gland
DEEP CERVICAL NODES

 They form a vertical chain along the course of internal jugular vein
within the carotid sheath…………. All regional lymph nodes

 Jugulodigastric: below n behind angle of jaw……… tonsil and tongue

 Jugulo omohyoid: close to omohyoid muscle……tongue
Pathway

 Deep cervical lymph nodes --- Efferent lymph vessels – jugular trunck ---
drains into thoracic duct or right lymphatic duct.
Clinical significance

 Enlarged lymph nodes---pathological condition