This document discusses the veins of the lower limb. It begins by describing the anatomy and classifications of veins in general. It then focuses on the specific veins of the lower limb, including the superficial greater and small saphenous veins and deep femoral, profunda femoris, popliteal, peroneal, anterior tibial, and posterior tibial veins. The document concludes by discussing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments including anticoagulation and compression stockings.

1. Veins : Lower Limb
By:Archan Diviti
Group-1

2. Veins
 In the circulatory system, veins are blood
vessels that carry blood toward the heart.
 Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the
tissues back to the heart; exceptions are
the pulmonary and umbilical veins.
 Veins differ from arteries in structure and function;
for example, arteries are more muscular than
veins, veins are often closer to the skin and
contain valves to help keep blood flowing toward
the heart, while arteries carry blood away from
the heart.

3. Anatomy:
• The thick outermost layer of a
vein is made of connective
tissue, called tunica
adventitia or tunica externa.
• There is a middle thin layer of
bands of smooth
muscle called tunica media.
• The interior is lined
with endothelial
cells called tunica intima.

4. Classification
• Superficial veins are those whose course is close to
the surface of the body, and have no corresponding
arteries.
• Deep veins are deeper in the body and have
corresponding arteries.
• Communicating veins (or perforator veins) are veins
that directly connect superficial veins to deep veins.
Eg:-Giacomini vein.
• Pulmonary veins are a set of veins that deliver
oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart.
• Systemic veins drain the tissues of the body and
deliver deoxygenated blood to the heart.

5. Veins of
Lower Limb
Superficial
Veins
Greater
Saphenous
Vein
Small
Saphenous
Vein
Deep
Veins
Femoral
Vein
Profunda
Femoris
Vein
Popliteal
Vein
Perforating
Veins
Peroneal
Vein
Anterior
&
Posterior
Tibial Vein

6. Femoral Vein
• The femoral vein is a blood
vessel that accompanies
the femoral artery in
the femoral sheath.
• It begins at the adductor
canal (also known as Hunter's
canal) and is a continuation of
the popliteal vein.
• It ends at the inferior margin
of the inguinal ligament,
where it becomes the external
iliac vein.
Drainage
Several large veins drain into the
femoral vein:
• Popliteal vein
• Profunda femoris vein
• Great saphenous vein
Femoral
Vein

7. Profunda femoris vein
• Profunda femoris
vein (or deep femoral vein)
is a large deep vein in
the thigh.
• It receives blood from the
inner thigh and proceeds
superiorly and medially
running alongside the
profunda femoris artery to
join with the femoral vein
approximately at the level of
the inferior-most portion of
the ischial tuberosity.
Femoral
vein

8. Popliteal vein
• The popliteal vein is located behind
the knee. Its course runs alongside
the popliteal artery, but carries the
blood from the knee joint and
muscles in the thigh and calf back to
the heart.
• Its origin is defined by the junction of
the posterior tibial vein and anterior
tibial vein.
• It drains the peroneal vein before
reaching the knee joint and turns into
the femoral vein when leaving
the adductor canal.
• The popliteal artery extends from
the femoral artery behind
the popliteal fossa which is the space
behind the knee.

9. Peroneal Vein
• The fibular veins (also known as
the peroneal veins).
• The fibular veins are deep
veins that help carry blood from
the lateral compartment of the
leg.
• They drain into the posterior tibial
veins, which will in turn drain into
the popliteal vein.
• The fibular veins accompany
the fibular artery.

10. Anterior tibial vein
• The anterior tibial vein of
the lower limb carries
blood from the anterior
compartment of the
leg to the popliteal
vein which is formed
when it joins with
the posterior tibial vein.
• The anterior tibial vein is
accompanied by an
anterior tibial artery.
Anterior
Tibial Vein

11. Posterior Tibial vein
• The posterior tibial
vein of the lower
limb carries blood from
the posterior
compartment and plantar
surface of the foot to
the popliteal vein which it
forms when it joins with
the anterior tibial vein.
• The posterior tibial vein is
accompanied by posterior
tibial artery.
Posterior
Tibial Vein

12. Clinical Case:Deep Vein Thrombosis
• DVT is the formation of a blood
clot in a deep vein,
predominantly in the legs.
• DVT usually occurs in a deep leg
vein, a larger vein that runs
through the muscles of the thigh.
It can cause pain and swelling in
the leg and may lead to
complications such as pulmonary
embolism.
• DVT and pulmonary embolism
together are known as venous
thromboembolism (VTE).

14. Signs and Symptoms
 Common signs and symptoms of DVT include
pain, swelling, warmth, redness or discoloration,
and distention of surface veins, although about
half of those with the condition have no
symptoms.
 Symptoms are more often due to other causes,
such as cellulitis, Baker's cyst, musculoskeletal
injury, or lymphedema.
 Other differential diagnoses include hematoma
and connective tissue disorders.
 The leg is usually painful, cyanosed (blue from
lack of oxygen) and edematous (filled with fluid),
which may result in venous gangrene.

15. Causes
• Anyone can develop it but it becomes more
common with age. As well as age, risk
factors include:
1. Previous venous thromboembolism.
2. A family history of thrombosis
3. Medical conditions such as cancer and
heart failure
4. Inactivity (for example, after an operation)
5. Being overweight or obese.
• In upper-extremity DVT, the most important
risk factor is having a central venous
catheter, and thoracic outlet syndrome also
increases risk.

16. Diagnosis
DVT diagnosis requires the use of imaging devices
such as Ultrasonography and Venography.

17. Prevention and Treatment
• There are several things you can do to prevent
DVT occurring, such as stopping smoking, losing
weight if you are overweight and walking
regularly to improve the circulation in your legs
• Walking and calf exercises reduce venous stasis
because leg muscle contractions compress the
veins and pump blood up towards the heart.
• Anticoagulation, which prevents further
coagulation but does not act on existing clots, is
the standard treatment for DVT.

18. • Two different types of anticoagulants are
used to treat DVT:
• (a)Heparin and (b)Warfarin.
• Compression stockings help prevent calf
pain and swelling and lower the risk of ulcers
developing after having a DVT.
• As well as wearing compression stockings,
you might be advised to raise your leg
whenever you are resting. This helps to
relieve the pressure in the veins of the calf
and stops blood and fluid pooling in the calf
itself.
• Aside from anticoagulation, the anti-platelet
drug aspirin might be used in some
orthopedic surgery patients.