Veins of the Lower
Limb
Deep veins
Accompany the arteries
Having Thin muscular wall
Superficial veins
Lie in the superficial
fascia
Having Thick muscular
wall
Dorsal Venous Arch
Great Saphenous
Vein
Small Saphenous
Vein
Dorsal Venous
Arch
Lies on the dorsum
of the foot.
The blood from the
whole foot drains
into this arch
via digital veins and
communicating
veins.
Drains on the medial
side into the Great
Saphenous vein
Drains on the lateral
side into the Small
Saphenous vein
Small
Saphenous
vein
Great Saphenous vein
Longest vein in the
body.
Drains medial side of
the dorsum venous
arch.
Passes upward in front
of medial malleolus.
Then runs upward in
superficial fascia over
the medial side of the
leg.
Passes behind the
knee and curves
forward around the
medial side of the
thigh
It contains 10-20
valves.
Connected to small
saphenous vein
behind knee.
Perforating veins
connect the great
saphenous vein with
the deep veins.
Passes through
saphenous opening.
Finally drains into
femoral vein
Tributaries:
Subcutaneous
tributaries
Superficial
circumflex iliac
vein
Superficial
epigastric vein
Superficial
external
pudendal vein
Accessory vein
Drains lateral side of the
dorsum venous arch.
Passes upward behind
lateral malleolus.
Reaches middle of the
back of leg.
Then it pierces deep
fascia.
In the lower part of
popliteal fossa ends in
the popliteal vein.
Contains numerous
valves.
Tributaries:
Numerous small
veins from the back
of the leg.
Communicating
veins with deep
veins of the foot.
Anastomotic
branches that join
the great saphenous
vein.
Venae
Comitantes
Popliteal Vein
Femoral Vein
Venae
Comitantes
Deep veins accompany
the arteries are called
venae comitantes.
The deep plantar venous
arch gives medial and
lateral
plantar veins.
Medial and lateral
plantar veins forms
posterior tibial vein
behind the medial
malleolus.
Peroneal vein drain into
posterior tibial vein.
Venae comitantes of
anterior and posterior
tibial arteries unite in
the popliteal fossa to
form the popliteal vein.
Popliteal
Vein
Formed by the venae
comitantes of the
anterior and posterior
tibial arteries.
Ends at the adductor
hiatus and continuous
upward
as Femoral vein
Tributaries:
Veins accompany
arteries.
Small saphenous
vein.
Femoral
Vein
Continuation of
popliteal vein at
adductor hiatus.
Enters in the
intermediate
compartment of femoral
sheath.
Then passes behind
inguinal ligament and
continuous as External
Iliac Vein.
Tributaries:
Great saphenous vein
Tributaries
corresponding to the
perforating branches of
the profunda femoris
artery.
Medial and lateral
femoral circumflex
veins.