Posture and Pressure Within the Internal Jugular Vein

Abstract

The blood pressure of the bulb of the internal jugular vein was studied in healthy volunteers in different postures. The positions examined were horizontal, dorsal and lateral, and also several elevation degrees of the upper part of the body. The influence of compression of the neck veins upon the venous pressure was also studied. A compression of 25 mm Hg produced the same increase in venous pressure as that caused by a change from the sitting to the recumbent position. The investigations are intended as the basis for further studies of the variations of congestion occurring in different body positions in the mucosa of the nose, the Eustachian tube, and the middle ear.