In the

human body The human body is the structure of a Human, human being. It is composed of many different types of Cell (biology), cells that together create Tissue (biology), tissues and subsequently organ systems. They ensure homeostasis and the life, viabi ...

, the femoral vein is a blood vessel that accompanies the

femoral artery The femoral artery is a large artery in the thigh and the main arterial supply to the thigh and leg. The femoral artery gives off the deep femoral artery or profunda femoris artery and descends along the anteromedial part of the thigh in the fem ...

in the

femoral sheath The femoral sheath (also called the crural sheath) is a funnel-shaped downward extension of abdominal fascia within which the femoral artery and femoral vein pass between the abdomen and the thigh. The femoral sheath is subdivided by two vertical ...

. It begins at the

adductor hiatus In human anatomy, the adductor hiatus also known as hiatus magnus is a hiatus (gap) between the adductor magnus muscle and the femur that allows the passage of the femoral vessels from the anterior thigh to the posterior thigh and then the poplitea ...

(an opening in the

adductor magnus Adductor may refer to: * One of the anatomical terms of motion Motion, the process of movement, is described using specific anatomical terms. Motion includes movement of organs, joints, limbs, and specific sections of the body. The terminolo ...

muscle) as the continuation of 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 ...

. It ends at the inferior margin of the

inguinal ligament The inguinal ligament (), also known as Poupart's ligament or groin ligament, is a band running from the pubic tubercle to the anterior superior iliac spine. It forms the base of the inguinal canal through which an indirect inguinal hernia may dev ...

where it becomes the external iliac vein. The femoral vein bears valves which are mostly bicuspid and whose number is variable between individuals and often between left and right leg.

Structure

Segments

Common femoral and subsartorial artery and vein

*The common femoral vein is the segment of the femoral vein between the branching point of the deep femoral vein and the inferior margin of the

.Page 590
in: *The subsartorial vein or superficial femoral vein are designations for the segment between the

and the branching point of the deep femoral vein, passing through the

subsartorial canal The adductor canal, also known as the subsartorial canal or Hunter’s canal, is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the thigh. It extends from the apex of the femoral triangle to the adductor hiatus. Structure The adductor canal extends ...

. However, usage of the term ''superficial femoral vein'' is discouraged by many

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

s because it leads to confusion among general medical practitioners. In particular, the femoral vein is clinically a

deep vein A deep vein is a vein that is deep in the body. This contrasts with superficial veins that are close to the body's surface. Deep veins are almost always beside an artery with the same name (e.g. the femoral vein is beside the femoral artery). ...

, where

deep vein thrombosis Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a type of venous thrombosis involving the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, most commonly in the legs or pelvis. A minority of DVTs occur in the arms. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, redness, and enla ...

indicates anticoagulant or

thrombolytic therapy Thrombolysis, also called fibrinolytic therapy, is the breakdown ( lysis) of blood clots formed in blood vessels, using medication. It is used in ST elevation myocardial infarction, stroke, and in cases of severe venous thromboembolism (massiv ...

, but the adjective ''"superficial"'' leads many physicians to falsely believe it is a superficial vein, which has resulted in patients with femoral thrombosis being denied proper treatment. Therefore, the terms ''subsartorial vein'' and ''subsartorial artery'' are sometimes used for the femoral vein and artery, respectively, distally to the branching points of the deep femoral vein and artery.

Tributaries

Several large

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 drain into the femoral vein: *

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 ...

, into the common femoral vein. *

Deep vein of the thigh The profunda femoris vein (or deep femoral vein) is a large deep vein in the thigh. It collects blood from the inner thigh, passing superiorly and medially alongside the profunda femoris artery before emptying into the femoral vein. Anatomy ...

, whose entry marks the border between the subsartorial vein and common femoral vein. *

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 ...

, becoming the subsartorial or superficial femoral vein at the

Clinical significance

Occlusion of the femoral vein can be life-threatening due to its size. For example,

of the femoral vein can cause

pulmonary embolism Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage of an pulmonary artery, artery in the lungs by a substance that has moved from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream (embolism). Symptoms of a PE may include dyspnea, shortness of breath, chest pain p ...

, with a higher risk when the thrombus is located in the common femoral vein than in the subsartorial vein. The femoral vein is often used to place

central venous lines A central venous catheter (CVC), also known as a central line(c-line), central venous line, or central venous access catheter, is a catheter placed into a large vein. It is a form of venous access. Placement of larger catheters in more centra ...

. This is associated with a significant risk of

infection An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dise ...

. The practice of delivering

recreational drugs Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasur ...

intravenous Intravenous therapy (abbreviated as IV therapy) is a medical technique that administers fluids, medications and nutrients directly into a person's vein. The intravenous route of administration is commonly used for rehydration or to provide nutrie ...

ly using the femoral vein is relatively common amongst

injecting drug users Injection or injected may refer to: Science and technology * Injective function, a mathematical function mapping distinct arguments to distinct values * Injection (medicine), insertion of liquid into the body with a syringe * Injection, in broad ...

(IDUs).

Additional images

File:Ultrasonography of deep vein thrombosis of the femoral vein -annotated.jpg,

Doppler ultrasonography Doppler ultrasonography is medical ultrasonography that employs the Doppler effect to perform imaging of the movement of tissues and body fluids (usually blood), and their relative velocity to the probe. By calculating the frequency shift of ...

in the subsartorial vein. File:Gray549.png, Drawing of the left

femoral triangle The femoral triangle (or Scarpa's triangle) is an anatomical region of the upper third of the thigh. It is a subfascial space which appears as a triangular depression below the inguinal ligament when the thigh is flexed, abducted and laterally rot ...

- shows superior portion of the femoral vein. File:Gray344.png, Structures surrounding right hip-joint. File:Gray432.png, Cross-section through the middle of the thigh. File:Gray545.png, Femoral sheath laid open to show its three compartments. File:Gray1146.png, The spermatic cord in the inguinal canal. File:Anatomical dissection10.JPG, Femoral vein File:Slide9CCCC.JPG, Femoral vein File:Slide1JJJJ.JPG, Femoral vein File:Slide1LLLL.JPG, Femoral vein File:Slide14LLLL.JPG, Femoral vein File:Slide3NNNNN.JPG, Femoral vein

References

External links

* - "Veins of the lower extremity shown in association with major landmarks." * {{Authority control Veins of the lower limb