superficial veins

Examples of superficial veins in the following topics:

• Veins of the Upper Limbs

  • The veins of the upper extremity are divided into superficial and deep veins, indicating their relative depths from the skin.
  • The major superficial veins of the upper limb are the cephalic, median cubital and basilic veins.
  • The veins of the upper extremity are divided into two sets, superficial and deep.
  • The superficial veins of the upper extremity are shown in blue.
  • Distinguish between the superficial and deep veins of the upper limbs

• Varicose Veins

  • Varicose veins are most often found in the superficial veins of the legs, which are subject to high pressure when standing.
  • Spider veins are less than one millimeter in diameter, whereas varicose veins are larger than this in diameter.
  • The traditional surgical treatment has been vein stripping, or removal of the affected veins.
  • Because most of the blood in the legs is returned by the deep veins, the superficial veins, which return only about 10 per cent of the total blood of the legs, can usually be removed without serious harm.
  • The middle image shows where varicose veins might appear in a leg.

• Principal Veins

  • Superficial veins are located close to the surface of the body and have no corresponding arteries, such as the great saphenous vein which runs the length of the leg.
  • Deep veins are often of larger caliber than superficial veins and carry the majority of the blood within the circulatory system.
  • Communicating veins, or perforator veins if they pass through a large muscle mass, directly connect superficial and direct veins.
  • The venae cavae are the veins with the largest diameter.
  • There are four pulmonary veins, two from each lung, each of which forms from three to four bronchial veins.

• Veins of the Lower Limbs

  • The posterior and anterior tibial veins return blood from the calf, ankle, and foot and merge into the popliteal vein behind the knee.
  • The popliteal vein then carries blood from the knee joint up through the thigh.
  • The femoral vein merges with the great saphenous vein in the groin to form the external iliac vein.
  • Running the full length of the leg, making it the longest vein in the body, the great saphenous vein is a superficial vein that returns blood from the foot and superficial muscles of the leg before merging with the femoral vein to form the external iliac vein.
  • Outline the flow of blood in the veins of the lower limbs

• Veins

  • Veins are classified in a number of ways, including superficial vs. deep, pulmonary vs. systemic, and large vs. small:
  • Superficial veins - Superficial veins are close to the surface of the body and have no corresponding arteries.
  • Deep veins - Deep veins are deeper in the body and have corresponding arteries.
  • Communicating veins - Communicating veins (or perforator veins) directly connect superficial veins to deep veins.
  • Pulmonary veins - The pulmonary veins deliver oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart.

• Veins of the Head and Neck

  • The superficial external jugular vein is formed from the retromandibular vein and the posterior auricular vein at a point adjacent to the mandible.
  • The external jugular vein passes down the neck and underneath the clavicle before draining into the subclavian vein.
  • Upon exiting the neck, the internal jugular vein merges with the subclavian vein to form the brachiocephalic vein.
  • Additional veins such as the occipital, deep cervical, and thyroid veins drain directly into the brachiocephalic vein.
  • The veins of head and neck are labeled in blue, with an arrow pointing to the auricular vein.

• Blood Vessel Structure

  • Capillaries in turn merge into venules, then into larger veins responsible for returning the blood to the heart.
  • This layer is much thicker in arteries than in veins.
  • The tunica externa is often thicker in veins to prevent collapse of the blood vessel and provide protection from damage since veins may be superficially located.
  • A major structural difference between arteries and veins is the presence of valves.
  • To counteract this, veins contain numerous one-direction valves that prevent backflow.

• Gross Anatomy of the Stomach

  • From these the veins arise, and pursue a straight course downward, between the tubules, to the submucous tissue; they end either in the lineal and superior mesenteric veins or directly in the portal vein.
  • They consist of a superficial and a deep set, and pass to the lymph glands found along the two curvatures of the organ.

• Veins of the Abdomen and Pelvis

  • A number of veins remove deoxygenated blood from the abdomen and pelvis.
  • The external iliac vein, the upward continuation of the femoral vein, passes upward along the pelvis and ends to form the common iliac vein.The tributaries of the external iliac vein are the inferior epigastric, deep iliac circumflex, and pubic veins.
  • The superior epigastric vein refers to a blood vessel that carries deoxygenated blood and drains into the internal thoracic vein.
  • The inferior epigastric vein refers to the vein that drains into the external iliac vein and arises from the superior epigastric vein.
  • The veins of the abdomen and lower limb include the inferior vena cava, the common iliac veins, the external iliac veins, and their tributaries.

• Veins of the Thorax

  • Bilaterally, it arises from the superior epigastric vein, accompanies the internal thoracic artery along its course, and terminates in the brachiocephalic vein.
  • The supreme intercostal vein is a paired vein that drains the first intercostal space on its corresponding side.
  • It usually drains into the brachiocephalic vein.
  • The renal veins from the kidney and hepatic veins of the liver drain directly into the inferior vena cava.
  • Additionally, the superior and inferior phrenic veins drain the diaphragm and usually open into the internal mammary vein and inferior vena cava, respectively.