THE COMMON ILIAC VEINS THE VEINS OF THE PELVIC LIMB 695 



commonly the posterior gastric vein (V. gastrica caudalis), and unites with the 

 anterior mesenteric at the posterior border of the pancreas. Not uncommonly the 

 splenic and posterior mesenteric veins form a short common trunk. 

 The collateral tributaries of the portal vein are as follows: 



(1) Pancreatic veins (Rami pancreatici). 



(2) The gastro-duodenal vein (V. gastroduodenalis), when present, corresponds 

 mainly to the extrahepatic branches of the hepatic artery ; but in most cases it does 

 not exist, and the right gastro-epiploic vein (V. gastroepiploica dextra) and pan- 

 creatico-duodenal vein (V. pancreaticoduodenalis) open directly into the portal 

 vein. 



(3) The anterior gastric vein (V. gastrica cranialis) joins the portal vein at the 

 portal fissure. 



THE COMMON ILIAC VEINS (Fig. 581) 



These (V. iliacse communes) are two very large but short trunks, which result 

 from the union of the internal and external iliac veins of each side at the sacro-iliac 

 articulation. The left one is the longer, and crosses obliquely over the terminal 

 part of the aorta. The chief tributaries of each are as follows : 



1. The last lumbar vein. 



2. The circumflex iliac veins (Vv. circumflexae ilium profundae) are the two 

 satellites of the corresponding artery, on either side of which they are placed. 

 They may open directly into the posterior vena cava or into the external iliac vein. 



3. The ilio-lumbar vein (V. iliolumbalis) may open into the common iliac, 

 the external iliac, or the internal iliac vein. 



THE INTERNAL ILIAC VEINS 



The internal iliac or hypogastric veins (Vv. iliaca internse s. hypogastricse), 

 right and left, are usually formed by the confluence of lateral sacral, gluteal, and 

 internal pudic veins. The obturator vein may open into them also. They are 

 short trunks, and are smaller than the external iliac veins. The tributaries corre- 

 spond in general to the branches of the three arteries of like names. The internal 

 pudic veins receive affluents from the anus and posterior part of the rectum ; from 

 the venous plexuses of the prepuce and penis in the male ; and from those of the 

 mammary gland, vulva, vagina, and vestibular bulb in the female. A large anas- 

 tomotic branch connects the internal pudic and obturator veins at the lesser sciatic 

 notch. 



THE VEINS OF THE PELVIC LIMB 



The external iliac vein (V. iliaca externa) (Figs. 576, 581) hes behind the cor- 

 responding artery at the brim of the pelvis. It is the upward continuation of the 

 femoral vein, and unites at the sacro-iliac joint with the internal iliac to form the 

 common iliac vein. Its tributaries are as follows: 



1. The obturator vein (V. obturatoria) is a satellite of the artery, except in its 

 terminal part; it usually opens into the external iliac at the iasertion of the psoas 

 minor. Its radicles anastomose with those of the internal and external pudic veins 

 (Figs. 576, 658). 



2. The iliaco-femoral or lateral circumflex veins (Vv. circumflexse femoris 

 laterales) are the two satellites of the homonymous artery. They open a little 

 higher than the obturator. 



The femoral vein (V. femoralis) (Figs. 575, 582) lies behind the artery in the 

 proximal part of the thigh, lateral to it lower doAvn. Its chief tributaries are : 



1. A large but short trunk is formed by the union of the deep femoral and 

 the external pudic vein. The deep femoral vein (V. profunda femoris) corresponds 



