260 PRACTICAL ANATOMT. 



VEINS OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY. 



The veins of the upper extremity are superficial aiid 

 deep. The superficial run in the superficial fascia; are, 

 therefore, subcutaneous, and can be seen as bluish, com- 

 pressible, linear elevations. The superficial veins are : 



Median. Formed by the union of small veins on the 

 anterior part of forearm. It runs toward the elbow, 

 bifurcates Y-like, and sends one branch to the basilic 

 and the other to the cephalic. 



Ulnar. Three or four veins which drain the ulnar 

 side of the forearm; it becomes a single trunk, receives 

 the branch from the median, and continues deeply up 

 the arm as the basilic. 



Radial. Drains the radial side of forearm; at the 

 bend of the elbow it receives the branch from the 

 median, and continues up the arm as the cephalic. 



Medio-basilic. The short branch from the basilic to 

 the median. It is crossed by the internal cutaneous 

 nerves, and lies on the brachial artery. 



Medio-cepJialic. The other short terminal branch of 

 the median to the cephalic. It is the vein ordinarily 

 selected for phlebotomy. 



Cephalic. Is the continuation of the radial and 

 medio-cephalic. It passes up the outer side of the arm, 

 lies in the groove between the deltoid and pectoralis 

 major, and empties into the axillary. 



Basilic. Formed by the union of the ulnar with the 

 medio-basilic, runs up the inner side of arm, pierces the 

 deep fascia, and empties either into the vena comites of 

 the brachial artery or into the axillary vein. 



The deep veins are : 



Vena Comites. Two veins to each artery ; as a rule, 

 one at each side. 



Axillary. The continuation upward of the basilic. 



