o:1869 Evaluation of the External Jugular Vein Overlying the Sternocleidomastoid Muscle as Venous Lymph-Node Flap en Until recently, vascularized lymph-node flaps were based on arterial and venous donor vessels. Now, venous lymph-node flaps form a novel promising concept in the treatment of advanced-stage lymphedema. In preliminary studies, the external jugular vein has shown promising results as a venous lymph-node flap. However, nothing is known about the number of lymph nodes adjacent to the external jugular vein.Standardized specimens of the external jugular vein and surrounding fatty tissue directly overlying the sternocleidomastoid muscle were obtained during routine neck dissection. Histologic evaluation was performed in order to evaluate for the presence of lymph nodes within the tissue.A total of 20 specimens were evaluated. There was no vein in 4 of the samples. We found lymph nodes in 9 of the remaining 16 samples. In 7 samples, lymph nodes were absent.Our results suggest that the vein directly overlying the sternocleidomastoid muscle may not be the ideal candidate for a venous lymph-node flap. external jugular vein; lymph edema; lymphatics; reconstruction; venous lymph-node flap 1552099 10.3390/jcm11071812 2023-07-21T11:04:21.856Z 44 yes 46 Lorenz Kadletz-Wanke Medical University of Vienna Felicitas Oberndorfer Medical University of Vienna person Erik Grabner Medical University of Vienna person Lukas Kenner University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna / Medical University of Vienna / Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Cancer Research person 0000-0003-2184-1338 Klaus F. Schrögendorfer University Hospital Sankt Poelten person Gregor Heiduschka Medical University of Vienna person application/pdf 841325 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:1869 no yes 16 70 1552253 Journal of Clinical Medicine 7 11 7 MDPI 2022