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The veins of the lower extremity
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
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The veins of the lower limb are divided into superficial and deep.
Superficial veins of the lower limb. The dorsal digital veins of the foot (ww. digitales dorsales pedis) emerge from the venous plexuses of the fingers and flow into the dorsal venous arch of the foot (arcus venosus dorsalis pedis). The medial and lateral marginal veins (vv. marginales medialis et lateralis) originate from this arch. The continuation of the first is the great saphenous vein of the leg, and the second is the small saphenous vein of the leg.
The plantar digital veins (vv. digitales plantares) begin on the sole of the foot. Connecting with each other, they form the plantar metatarsal veins (vv. metatarsals plantares), which flow into the plantar venous arch (arcus venosus plantaris). From this arch, blood flows through the medial and lateral plantar veins into the posterior tibial veins.
The great saphenous vein of the leg (v. saphena magna) begins in front of the medial malleolus and, having received the veins of the sole of the foot, follows the saphenous nerve along the medial surface of the leg upwards. This vein bends around the medial condyle of the femur from behind, crosses the sartorius muscle in front and passes along the anteromedial surface of the thigh to the subcutaneous gap (hiatus saphenus). Here the vein bends around the falcate edge, pierces the ethmoid fascia and flows into the femoral vein. The great saphenous vein of the leg receives numerous subcutaneous veins of the anteromedial surface of the leg and thigh, and has many valves. Before flowing into the femoral vein, the following veins flow into the great saphenous vein of the leg: external genital veins (vv. pudendae externae); superficial vein that circumflexes the ilium (v. circumflexa iliaca superficialis); superficial epigastric vein (v. epigastrica superficialis); dorsal superficial veins of the penis (clitoris) [vv. dorsales superficiales penis (clitoridis)]; anterior scrotal (labial) veins [vv. scrotales (labiales) anteriores].
The small saphenous vein of the leg (v. saphena parva) is a continuation of the lateral marginal vein of the foot and has many valves. It collects blood from the dorsal venous arch and the subcutaneous veins of the sole, lateral part of the foot and calcaneal region. The small saphenous vein goes up behind the lateral malleolus, then is located in the groove between the lateral and medial heads of the gastrocnemius muscle, penetrates the popliteal fossa, where it flows into the popliteal vein. The superficial veins of the posterolateral surface of the leg flow into the small saphenous vein of the leg. Its tributaries have numerous anastomoses with the deep veins and with the great saphenous vein of the leg.
Deep veins of the lower limb. These veins are supplied with numerous valves and are adjacent in pairs to the arteries of the same name. The exception is the deep vein of the thigh (v. profunda femoris). The course of the deep veins and the areas from which they carry blood correspond to the branches of the arteries of the same name: anterior tibial veins (vv. tibiales anteriores), posterior tibial veins (vv. tibiales posteriores), peroneal veins (vv. fibulares), popliteal vein (v. poplitea), femoral vein (v. femoralis), etc.
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