The small saphenous vein (also short saphenous vein or lesser saphenous vein) is a relatively large

superficial vein Superficial veins are veins that are close to the surface of the body, as opposed to deep veins, which are far from the surface. Superficial veins are not paired with an artery, unlike the deep veins, which are typically associated with an art ...

of the posterior

leg A leg is a weight-bearing and locomotive anatomical structure, usually having a columnar shape. During locomotion, legs function as "extensible struts". The combination of movements at all joints can be modeled as a single, linear element cap ...

Structure

The origin of the small saphenous vein (SSV) is where the dorsal vein from the fifth digit (smallest toe) merges with the dorsal venous arch of the foot, which attaches to the

great saphenous vein The great saphenous vein (GSV; ) or long saphenous vein is a large, subcutaneous, superficial vein of the human leg, leg. It is the longest vein in the body, running along the length of the lower limb, returning blood from the foot, human leg, le ...

(GSV). It is a

, being subcutaneous (just under the skin). From its origin, it courses around the lateral aspect of the foot (inferior and posterior to the lateral malleolus) and runs along the posterior aspect of the leg (with the

sural nerve The sural nerve ''(L4-S1)'' is generally considered a pure cutaneous nerve of the posterolateral leg to the lateral ankle. The sural nerve originates from a combination of either the sural communicating branch and medial sural cutaneous nerve, ...

), where it passes between the heads of the

gastrocnemius muscle The gastrocnemius muscle (plural ''gastrocnemii'') is a superficial two-headed muscle that is in the back part of the lower leg of humans. It is located superficial to the soleus in the posterior (back) compartment of the leg. It runs from its t ...

. This vein presents a number of different draining points. Usually, it drains into the popliteal vein, at or above the level of the

knee In humans and other primates, the knee joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two joints: one between the femur and tibia (tibiofemoral joint), and one between the femur and patella (patellofemoral joint). It is the largest joint in the hu ...

joint.

Variation

Sometimes, the SSV joins the common gastrocnemius vein before draining in the popliteal vein. Sometimes, it does not make contact with the popliteal vein, but goes up to drain in the GSV at a variable level. Instead of draining in the popliteal vein, it can merge with the Giacomini vein and drain in the GSV at the superior 1/3 of the thigh.

Clinical significance

Varicose veins

The small saphenous vein may become varicose. In 20% of cases, this is associated with

chronic venous insufficiency Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a medical condition characterized by blood pooling in the veins, leading to increased pressure and strain on the vein walls. The most common cause of CVI is superficial venous reflux, which often results in ...

Vein stripping A phlebectomy, or vein stripping, is a surgical procedure done under general or local anaesthetic to aid in the treatment of varicose veins and other manifestations of chronic venous disease. The vein "stripped" (pulled out from under the skin ...

is an effective treatment.

Vein harvesting

The small saphenous vein may be harvested for transplant to elsewhere in the body, such as in

coronary artery bypass surgery Coronary artery bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG, pronounced "cabbage"), is a surgical procedure to treat coronary artery disease (CAD), the buildup of plaques in the arteries of the heart. It can relieve chest ...

. Endoscopic vein harvesting can be used to extract the vein from the leg minimally invasively.

Additional images

File:Gray440 color.png, Cross-section through middle of leg File:Gray836.png, Nerves of the dorsum of the foot File:Blausen 0609 LegVeins.png,

Vein Veins () are blood vessels in the circulatory system of 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 those of the pulmonary and feta ...

s of the leg

References

External links

Illustration at pdn.cam.ac.uk
{{Authority control Veins of the lower limb