OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY. 



545 



The Superficial Veins of the Upper Ex- 

 tremity are the 



Fig. 307. The Superficial Veins of the 

 Upper Extremity. 



Anterior ulnar. 

 Posterior ulnar. 

 Basilic. 

 Eadial. 



Cephalic. 

 Median. 

 Median basilic. 

 Median cephalic. 



The Anterior Ulnar Vein commences on 

 the anterior surface of the wrist and ulnar 

 side of the hand, and ascends along the 

 inner side of the forearm to the bend of the 

 elbow, where it joins with the posterior 

 ulnar vein to form the basilic. It com- 

 municates with branches of the median 

 vein in front, and with the posterior ulnar 

 behind. 



The Posterior Ulnar Vein commences on 

 the posterior surface of the ulnar side of 

 the hand, and from the vein of the little 

 finger (vena salvatella), situated over the 

 fourth metacarpal space. It ascends on 

 the posterior surface of the ulnar side of 

 the forearm, and just below the elbow 

 unites with the anterior ulnar vein to form 

 the basilic. 



The Basilic is a vein of considerable 

 size, formed by the coalescence of the 

 anterior and posterior ulnar veins; ascend- 

 ing along the inner side of the elbow, it 

 receives the median basilic vein, and pass- 

 ing upwards along the inner side of the 

 arm, pierces the deep fascia, and ascends 

 in the course of the brachial artery, termi- 

 nating either in one of the venae comites 

 of that vessel, or in the axillary vein. 



The Radial Vein commences from the 

 dorsal surface of the thumb, index finger, 

 and radial side of the hand, by branches 

 communicating with the vena salvatella, 

 and forming by their union a large vessel, 

 which ascends along the radial side of the 

 forearm, and receives numerous branches 

 from both its surfaces. At the bend of the 

 elbow it receives the median cephalic, 

 when it becomes the cephalic vein. 



The Cephalic Vein ascends along the 

 outer border of the Biceps muscle, to the 

 upper third of the arm; it then passes in 

 the interval between the Pectoralis Major 

 and Deltoid muscles, accompanied by the 

 descending branch of the thoracica acro- 

 inialis artery, and terminates in the axil- 

 lary vein just below the clavicle. This 

 vein is occasionally connected with the 



external jugular or subclavian, by a branch which passes from it upwards in 

 front of the clavicle. 



The Median Vein collects the blood from the superficial structures on the 

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