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Veins of lower limb
Last reviewed: 19.11.2021
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The veins of the lower limb are divided into superficial and deep.
Superficial veins of the lower limb. The rear digital toes of the foot (ww. Digitales dorsales pedis) exit the venous plexuses of the fingers and flow into the posterior venous arch of the foot (arcus venosus dorsalis pedis). From this arch, the medial and lateral marginal veins (vv. Marginales medialis et lateralis) originate. Continuation of the first is a large saphenous vein of the foot, and the second is a small saphenous vein of the leg.
At the foot of the foot, plantar digital veins (vv. Digitales plantares) begin. Connecting together, they form plantar metatarsals plantars (vv. Metatarsals plantares), which flow into the plantar venous arc (arcus venosus plantaris). From this arch along the medial and lateral plantar veins, blood flows into the posterior tibial veins.
The large saphenous vein of the leg (v. Saphena magna) begins in front of the medial malleolus and, having taken the veins of the sole of the foot, should be next to the subcutaneous nerve along the medial surface of the tibia upwards. This vein wraps around the medial condyle of the hip, crosses the front of the sartorius muscle and passes along the anterior medial surface of the thigh to the subcutaneous cleft (hiatus saphenus). Here, the vein goes around the crescent-shaped edge, perforates the trellised fascia and runs into the femoral vein. The large saphenous vein of the foot takes numerous subcutaneous veins in front of the medial surface of the lower leg and thigh, has many valves. Before entering the femoral vein, the following veins enter the large subcutaneous vein of the leg: the external genital veins (vv. Pudendae externae); superficial vein, enveloping the iliac bone (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 the extension of the lateral marginal vein of the foot and has many valves. It collects blood from the back venous arch and subcutaneous veins of the sole, lateral part of the foot and heel area. A small saphenous vein follows up behind the lateral ankle, then lies in the furrow between the lateral and medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle, penetrates the popliteal fossa where it enters the popliteal vein. In the small subcutaneous vein of the foot, the superficial veins of the posterolateral surface of the shin sink. Its tributaries have numerous anastomoses with deep veins and with a large saphenous vein of the foot.
Deep veins of the lower limb. These veins are equipped with numerous valves, pairwise adjacent to the same arteries. 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 same arteries: the anterior tibial veins (v. Tibiales anteriores), the posterior tibial veins (v. Tibiales posteriores), peroneal veins (vv. Fibulares), popliteal vein (v. Poplitea), femoral vein (v. Femoralis), and others.