Clinical Anatomy of Superficial Veins of Lower Limbs

Research project is focused on superficial veins of lower extremities, especially their clinical anatomy. Superficial veins are located within the compartimentum saphenum. The function of superficial veins is drainage of intradermal and epifascial spaces. Superficial veins and their function are fundamental in development of chronic venous disorder. These veins are physiologically connected with deep venous system via perforators but also between each other via communicanting veins. Communicanting veins between small saphenous vein and great saphenous vein have not been described yet, particularly because of their variations. Clinically important is also the saphenopopliteal junction in the fossa poplitea. This region features many variations, which were described in many studies. Also, the nomenclature of saphenopopliteal juction is not standardised in comparison to the saphenofemoral junction. Moreover, many articles are pointing out that there were not specified all potential drainage ways of the cranial extension of small saphenous vein (extesio cranialis). Articles are uniform neither in its prevalence nor in its terminology.

The knowledge of connections between the superficial and deep venous systems as well as knowledge of communicanting veins between superficial veins is important for diagnosis and proper treatment of chronic venous disorder. Variabilities of these veins can play fundamental role in choosing the proper graft for aorto-coronary bypass grafting. The ununiformed nomenclature of superficial veins, their communicating veins and junctions can cause misleading preoperative diagnosis and overlooking of these structures in clinical practise.