Communicating veins are
vein
Veins are blood vessels in humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated b ...
s that communicate two different points of the venous system.
They can communicate the
great saphenous vein
The great saphenous vein (GSV, alternately "long saphenous vein"; ) is a large, subcutaneous, superficial vein of the leg. It is the longest vein in the body, running along the length of the lower limb, returning blood from the foot, leg and thig ...
with the
small saphenous vein
The small saphenous vein (also short saphenous vein or lesser saphenous vein) is a relatively large superficial vein of the posterior leg.
Structure
The origin of the small saphenous vein, (SSV) is where the dorsal vein from the fifth digit (small ...
, (for example the
Giacomini vein
The Giacomini vein, or cranial extension of the small saphenous vein
is a communicating vein between the great saphenous vein (GSV) and the small saphenous vein (SSV). It is named after the Italian anatomist Carlo Giacomini (1840–1898). The G ...
)
or the superficial venous system with the deep one. In this case they are called
perforator vein
Perforator veins are so called because they perforate the deep fascia of muscles, to connect the superficial veins to the deep veins where they drain.
Perforator veins play an essential role in maintaining normal blood draining. They have valves ...
s and have a very important role in the venous system hemodynamics.
References
Veins
{{circulatory-stub