Deep femoral vein

Last updated

Deep femoral vein
2136ab Lower Limb Veins Anterior Posterior.jpg
Veins of the leg, with deep femoral vein near top.
Gray432 color.png
Cross-section through the middle of the thigh. (Deep femoral artery and vein labeled at center top.)
Details
Drains to Femoral vein
Artery Profunda femoris artery
Identifiers
Latin vena profunda femoris
TA98 A12.3.11.024
TA2 5070
FMA 51041
Anatomical terminology

The deep femoral vein, deep vein of the thigh or profunda femoris vein is a large deep vein in the thigh. It collects blood from the inner thigh, passing superiorly and medially alongside the deep femoral artery before emptying into the femoral vein. [1]

Contents

Anatomy

Fate

The deep femoral vein drains into the femoral vein at approximately the level of the inferior-most portion of the ischial tuberosity. [1]

Function

The deep femoral vein drains the inner thigh. [2] It contributes the largest volume of blood entering the femoral vein. [1]

Clinical significance

The deep femoral vein is commonly affected by phlebitis which can be a dangerous condition in the case of a thrombus, or blood clot, forming, as the thrombus may dislodge and travel to the lungs, causing pulmonary embolism. Risk factors for deep vein thrombosis include prolonged bed rest following surgery, immobility due to disability or fracture, an excessively sedentary lifestyle or hereditary dispositions such as the factor V Leiden mutation. [3] [ better source needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vein</span> Blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart

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 fetal circulations which carry oxygenated blood to the heart. In the systemic circulation, arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart, and veins return deoxygenated blood to the heart, in the deep veins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embolism</span> Disease of arteries, arterioles and capillaries

An embolism is the lodging of an embolus, a blockage-causing piece of material, inside a blood vessel. The embolus may be a blood clot (thrombus), a fat globule, a bubble of air or other gas, amniotic fluid, or foreign material.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thrombosis</span> Medical condition caused by blood clots

Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel is injured, the body uses platelets (thrombocytes) and fibrin to form a blood clot to prevent blood loss. Even when a blood vessel is not injured, blood clots may form in the body under certain conditions. A clot, or a piece of the clot, that breaks free and begins to travel around the body is known as an embolus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venous thrombosis</span> Blood clot (thrombus) that forms within a vein

Venous thrombosis is the blockage of a vein caused by a thrombus. A common form of venous thrombosis is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), when a blood clot forms in the deep veins. If a thrombus breaks off (embolizes) and flows to the lungs to lodge there, it becomes a pulmonary embolism (PE), a blood clot in the lungs. The conditions of DVT only, DVT with PE, and PE only, are all captured by the term venous thromboembolism (VTE).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thigh</span> The part of the body between the pelvis and the knee; upper leg

In anatomy, the thigh is the area between the hip (pelvis) and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Femoral artery</span> Large artery in the thigh

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 and descends along the anteromedial part of the thigh in the femoral triangle. It enters and passes through the adductor canal, and becomes the popliteal artery as it passes through the adductor hiatus in the adductor magnus near the junction of the middle and distal thirds of the thigh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep femoral artery</span> Large branch of the femoral artery that supplies the thigh

The deep femoral artery also known as the deep artery of the thigh, or profunda femoris artery, is a large branch of the femoral artery. It travels more deeply ("profoundly") than the rest of the femoral artery. It gives rise to the lateral circumflex femoral artery and medial circumflex femoral artery, and the perforating arteries, terminating within the thigh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great saphenous vein</span> Large, subcutaneous, superficial vein of the leg

The great saphenous vein (GSV) or 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 thigh to the deep femoral vein at the femoral triangle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep vein thrombosis</span> Formation of a blood clot (thrombus) in a deep vein

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 enlarged veins in the affected area, but some DVTs have no symptoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Femoral vein</span> Large blood vessel in the leg

In the human body, the femoral vein is the vein that accompanies the femoral artery in the femoral sheath. It is a deep vein that begins at the adductor hiatus as the continuation of the popliteal vein. The great saphenous vein, and the deep femoral vein drain into the femoral vein in the femoral triangle when it becomes known as the common femoral vein. It ends at the inferior margin of the inguinal ligament where it becomes the external iliac vein. Its major tributaries are the deep femoral vein, and the great saphenous vein. The femoral vein contains valves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep vein</span> Veins deep in the body; contrasted with superficial veins

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adductor magnus muscle</span> Muscle in the thigh

The adductor magnus is a large triangular muscle, situated on the medial side of the thigh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lateral circumflex femoral artery</span>

The lateral circumflex femoral artery is an artery in the upper thigh. It is usually a branch of the profunda femoris artery, and produces three branches. It is mostly distributed to the muscles of the lateral thigh, supplying arterial blood to muscles of the knee extensor group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vascular disease</span> Medical condition

Vascular disease is a class of diseases of the vessels of the circulatory system in the body, including blood vessels – the arteries and veins, and the lymphatic vessels. Vascular disease is a subgroup of cardiovascular disease. Disorders in this vast network of blood and lymph vessels can cause a range of health problems that can sometimes become severe, and fatal. Coronary heart disease for example, is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compression stockings</span> Compression garment

Compression stockings are a specialized hosiery designed to help prevent the occurrence of, and guard against further progression of, venous disorders such as edema, phlebitis and thrombosis. Compression stockings are elastic compression garments worn around the leg, compressing the limb. This reduces the diameter of distended veins and increases venous blood flow velocity and valve effectiveness. Compression therapy helps decrease venous pressure, prevents venous stasis and impairments of venous walls, and relieves heavy and aching legs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superficial thrombophlebitis</span> Medical condition

Superficial thrombophlebitis is a thrombosis and inflammation of superficial veins which presents as a painful induration (thickening) with erythema, often in a linear or branching configuration; forming a cord-like appearance.

Free-flap breast reconstruction is a type of autologous-tissue breast reconstruction applied after mastectomy for breast cancer, without the emplacement of a breast implant prosthesis. As a type of plastic surgery, the free-flap procedure for breast reconstruction employs tissues, harvested from another part of the woman's body, to create a vascularised flap, which is equipped with its own blood vessels. Breast-reconstruction mammoplasty can sometimes be realised with the application of a pedicled flap of tissue that has been harvested from the latissimus dorsi muscle, which is the broadest muscle of the back, to which the pedicle (“foot”) of the tissue flap remains attached until it successfully grafts to the recipient site, the mastectomy wound. Moreover, if the volume of breast-tissue excised was of relatively small mass, breast augmentation procedures, such as autologous-fat grafting, also can be applied to reconstruct the breast lost to mastectomy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ultrasonography of chronic venous insufficiency of the legs</span> Non-invasive medical procedure

Ultrasonography of suspected or previously confirmed chronic venous insufficiency of leg veins is a risk-free, non-invasive procedure. It gives information about the anatomy, physiology and pathology of mainly superficial veins. As with heart ultrasound (echocardiography) studies, venous ultrasonography requires an understanding of hemodynamics in order to give useful examination reports. In chronic venous insufficiency, sonographic examination is of most benefit; in confirming varicose disease, making an assessment of the hemodynamics, and charting the progression of the disease and its response to treatment. It has become the reference standard for examining the condition and hemodynamics of the lower limb veins. Particular veins of the deep venous system (DVS), and the superficial venous system (SVS) are looked at. The great saphenous vein (GSV), and the small saphenous vein (SSV) are superficial veins which drain into respectively, the common femoral vein and the popliteal vein. These veins are deep veins. Perforator veins drain superficial veins into the deep veins. Three anatomic compartments are described, (N1) containing the deep veins, (N2) containing the perforator veins, and (N3) containing the superficial veins, known as the saphenous compartment. This compartmentalisation makes it easier for the examiner to systematize and map. The GSV can be located in the saphenous compartment where together with the Giacomini vein and the accessory saphenous vein (ASV) an image resembling an eye, known as the 'eye sign' can be seen. The ASV which is often responsible for varicose veins, can be located at the 'alignment sign', where it is seen to align with the femoral vessels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ultrasonography of deep vein thrombosis</span>

Ultrasonography in suspected deep vein thrombosis focuses primarily on the femoral vein and the popliteal vein, because thrombi in these veins are associated with the greatest risk of harmful pulmonary embolism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Femoropopliteal bypass</span> Leg artery surgical procedure

Popliteal bypass surgery, more commonly known as femoropopliteal bypass or more generally as lower extremity bypass surgery, is a surgical procedure used to treat diseased leg arteries above or below the knee. It is used as a medical intervention to salvage limbs that are at risk of amputation and to improve walking ability in people with severe intermittent claudication and ischemic rest pain.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Grabowski, Sandra R.; Tortora, Gerard (2003). "21". In Roesch, Bonnie (ed.). Principles of Anatomy and Physiology Volume 4: Maintenance and Contitnuity of the Human Body (Textbook). Vol. 4 (10th ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p. 748. ISBN   0-471-22934-2.
  2. Repella, Tana L.; Lopez, Olga; Abraham, Cherrie Z.; Azarbal, Amir F.; Liem, Timothy K.; Mitchell, Erica L.; Landry, Gregory J.; Moneta, Gregory L.; Jung, Enjae (September 1, 2018). "Characterization of profunda femoris vein thrombosis". Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders. 6 (5): 585–591. doi:10.1016/j.jvsv.2018.01.012. ISSN   2213-333X. PMID   29681458. S2CID   5066435.
  3. Diamond, Marion (Fall 2005). Integrative Biology 131: Lecture 17: Blood-Vascular System (Filmed Lecture). Berkeley, California: University of California, Berkeley. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.