THE VEINS OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY 293 



THE VEINS OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY 



The superficial veins begin on the dorsum of the foot in a 

 plexus which receives the digital veins, and forms an arch 

 from which emerge the internal or long and the external or 

 short saphenous veins. 



The long (internal) saphenous, from the inner part of the 

 plexus, runs in front of the inner malleolus, along with the 

 long saphenous nerve, behind the inner border of the tibia 

 and condyle of the femur; thence up along the anterointernal 

 part of the thigh to join the femoral vein at the saphenous 

 opening. It communicates with the deep plantar, both tibial, 

 and the femoral veins, and receives superficial plantar and 

 cutaneous tributaries, and the superficial circumflex iliac, 

 epigastric, and external pudic veins. 



The short (external) saphenous vein ascends behind the outer 

 malleolus, and external to the tendo Achillis, with the external 

 saphenous nerve, and pierces the deep fascia in the popliteal 

 space to join the popliteal vein. It receives branches from the 

 heel and back of the leg and from the deep veins and the long 

 saphenous. 



The deep veins are the vence comites of the arteries. The 

 posterior tibial veins receive the peroneal, and join the anterior 

 tibial to form the popliteal. This vessel then ascends, crossing 

 superficial to the artery, from the inner to the outer side, and 

 becomes the femoral at the adductor opening. It receives 

 the external saphenous and veins corresponding to the arterial 

 branches. 



The femoral vein accompanies the artery, and becomes the 

 external iliac at Poupart's ligament. It is at first outside, 

 then behind, and at its termination internal to the artery. It 

 receives, in its lower part, veins corresponding to the branches 

 of the superficial femoral artery; the long saphenous, and the 

 profunda vein. The latter is formed by the union of the venae 

 comites of the offsets of the profunda artery. 



The external iliac runs to join the internal iliac near the 

 lumbosacral articulation, being at first internal to, later behind, 

 the artery. It receives the deep circumflex iliac, the deep epi- 

 gastric, and a pubic vein. 



