THE VEINS OF THE LOWER LIMB. 



9^5 



Fig. 770. 



Semimem 

 branosus- 



Biceps 

 Popliteal vein 



Short 

 saphenous vein 



plantare cutaneum) which is especially close in the fatty pad beneath the heel, but more 

 open towards the bases of the toes. This net-work makes numerous connections 

 with the deep plantar veins, and to a great extent is drained by superficial emissaries 

 which pass upward over the borders of the foot and open into the superficial dorsal 

 veins. These emissaries are larger on the inner than on the outer side of the foot, and 

 they all have a somewhat backward as well as an upward dii'ection, those from the 

 most posterior portions of the plexus passing directly backward and upward over 

 the tuberosity of the heel. Anteriorly the more central portions of the net-work drain 

 into the superficial plantar arch and communicate through this with the dorsal veins. 

 The dorsal digital veins form by their union in pairs the common digital veins 

 (vv. digitales communes pedis), which correspond in position to the dorsal interosseous 

 veins, except that they are subcutaneous. Posteriorly these veins anastomose to from 

 a more or less regular dorsal subcu- 

 taneous arch (arcus venosus dorsalis 

 pedis), which extends across the dorsal 

 portions of the metatarsal bones, being 

 convex distally and increasing in size 

 from the outer to the inner border of 

 the foot. Proximally to this arch there 

 is an irregular net- work of veins ( rete 

 venosum dorsale pedis) which makes 

 numerous connections with the deep 

 veins and passes proximally into the 

 net- work of the anterior surface of the 

 crus. Towards the borders of the foot, 

 and forming the lateral and medial 

 boundaries of the net-work, a more or 

 less distinct longitudinal marginal 

 vein can be seen on each side (vv. 

 marginales lateralis et medialis), and it is 

 into these that the superficial emissaries 

 from the plantar net-work open from 

 below. The internal marginal vein is 

 somewhat larger than the external and 

 joins the dorsal arch to form the long 

 saphenous vein, while the external is the 

 principal origin of the short saphenous. 



The Short Saphenous Vein. 



The short or external saphenous 

 vein (v. saphena parva) (Fig. 770) is the 

 superficial vein of the back of the crus. 

 It begins behind the external malleolus 

 at the upward continuation of the ex- 

 ternal marginal vein of the foot. It lies 

 at first upon the outer border of the 

 tendo Achillis, but later takes a more 

 median position and ascends the pos- 

 terior surface of the leg almost in the 

 median line. At about the middle of 

 the leg it perforates the crural fascia 

 and continues its upward course in the 

 groove between the two heads of the 

 gastrocnemius, and, entering the pop- 

 liteal space, terminates by dividing into 



Superficial veins on dorsum of right foot and 

 posterior surface of \eg. 



two branches, one of which opens into the posterior surface of the popliteal vein 

 about on a level with the origins of the gastrocnemius, while the other passes 

 farther upward to communicate with the beginning of the deep femoral vein. 



