tNGIOLOGY 



condyles of the tibia and femur and along the medial side of the thigh and, passing 

 through the fossa ovalis, ends in the femoral vein. 



Tributaries. At the ankle it receives branches from the sole of the foot through 

 the medial marginal vein; in the leg it anastomoses freely with the small saphenous 

 vein, communicates with the anterior and posterior tibial veins and receives many 

 cutaneous veins; in the thigh it communicates with the femoral vein and receives 

 numerous tributaries; those from the medial and posterior parts of the thigh 

 frequently unite to form a large accessory saphenous vein which joins the main 

 vein at a variable level. Near the fossa ovalis (Fig. 580) it is joined by the super- 

 ficial epigastric, superficial iliac circumflex, and superficial external pudendal veins. 

 A vein, named the thoracoepigastric, runs along the lateral aspect of the trunk 

 between the superficial epigastric vein below and the lateral thoracic vein above 

 and establishes an important communication between the femoral and axillary 

 veins. 





Fio. 580. The great saphenous vein and its tributaries at the fossa ovalis. 



The valves in the great saphenous vein vary from ten to twenty in number; 

 they are more numerous in the leg than in the thigh. 



The small saphenous vein (v, saphena parva; external or short saphenous vein) 

 (Fig. 582) begins behind the lateral malleolus as a continuation of the lateral 

 marginal vein; it first ascends along the lateral margin of the tendocalcaneus, 

 and then crosses it to reach the middle of the back of the leg. Running directly 

 upward, it perforates the deep fascia in the lower part of the popliteal fossa, and 

 ends in the popliteal vein, between the heads of the Gastrocnemius. It commu- 



