The Giacomini vein, or cranial extension of the small saphenous vein is a communicating vein between 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 thi ...

(GSV) and 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 (sma ...

(SSV). It is named after the Italian anatomist Carlo Giacomini (1840–1898). The Giacomini vein courses the posterior thigh as either a trunk projection, or tributary of the SSV. In one study it was found in over two-thirds of limbs. Another study in India found the vein to be present in 92% of those examined. It is located under the superficial fascia and its insufficiency seemed of little importance in the majority of patients with varicose disease, but the use of

ultrasonography Ultrasound is sound waves with frequencies higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing. Ultrasound is not different from "normal" (audible) sound in its physical properties, except that humans cannot hear it. This limit varies fr ...

has highlighted a new significance of this vein. It can be part of a draining variant of the SSV which continues on to reach the GSV at the proximal third of the thigh instead of draining into the

popliteal vein The popliteal vein is a vein of the lower limb. It is formed from the anterior tibial vein and the posterior tibial vein. It travels medial to the popliteal artery, and becomes the femoral vein. It drains blood from the leg. It can be assess ...

. The direction of its flow is usually anterograde (the physiological direction) but it can be retrograde when this vein acts as a bypass from an insufficient GSV to SSV to call on this last one to collaborate in draining. Many discussions exist about this vein, some of them confusing to a non-expert reader. Insufficiency in the Giacomini vein can present in isolation but is mostly seen together with a GSV insufficiency. It has been shown to be effectively treated either with endovenous laser ablation or by ultrasound guided

sclerotherapy Sclerotherapy (the word reflects the Greek ''skleros'', meaning ''hard'') is a procedure used to treat blood vessel malformations (vascular malformations) and also malformations of the lymphatic system. A medicine is injected into the vessels, wh ...

References

{{Reflist Veins of the lower limb

See also

References