Abstract

Objective. To clarify the topographic and anatomical feature of the perforating veins (PVs) in the proximal part of the lower extremity. Methods. 70 amputated lower extremities from the patients with severe ischemia were subjected to sectional anatomical study; 2800 patients with varicose disease underwent lower extremity sonography. Results. PVs were primarily located on the medial surface of the thigh. In the upper third of the thigh PVs drain into superficial femoral vein. It was detected that one or two PVs occur sin the lower third of the hip draining into superficial femoral vein and originating from the great saphenous vein in 73.6% cases. All PVs were accompanied by an arterial branch from the superficial femoral artery. Anatomical sectional study revealed that a nervous branch accompanied PVs in the lower third of the thigh. Two or four PVs were detected on the lateral surface of the thigh. PVs in the popliteal fossa could be referred to as “atypical” due to their rare occurence (0.4% of cases at sonography) in combination with absent typical sapheno-popliteal junction. PVs in this area were not supported by the intermuscular septa. PVs drained laterally into popliteal vein of the lower limb in 100% cases, while small saphenous vein drained into great saphenous vein in the upper third of the leg or into the intersaphenous vein. Conclusion. Perforating veins constitute perforating bundles (PV, arterial branch, nervous branch), which are predominantly located along the intermuscular septa, which create a constant and strong orientation along the direction of the great vessels. This ensures stable hemodynamics of great vessels and perforating complexes and does not allow squeezed tham togeter during physical exertion. What this paper adds For the first time it has been proved that the perforating veins of the gluteal region pass through the fascia and the thickness of the gluteus maximus muscle and enter the superior and inferior gluteal veins, being transmuscular perforating veins. For the first time it has been established that the location of the femoral perforating veins along the intermuscular septa allows preserving the hemodynamics of the perforating complexes without any squeezed in physical exertion.

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