Saphena varix

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A saphena varix, or saphenous varix, is a dilation of the great saphenous vein at its junction with the femoral vein in the groin. It is a common surgical problem, and patients may present with groin swelling.

Clinical features

It displays a cough impulse and may be mistaken for a femoral hernia. However it has a bluish tinge and disappears on lying down. On auscultation a venous hum may be heard. It is frequently associated with varicose veins. [1] Saphena varix can be easily diagnosed by ultrasound. Saphena varix shows flow on duplex ultrasonography.

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The femoral 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 rotated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great saphenous vein</span>

The great 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">Inguinal lymph nodes</span>

Inguinal lymph nodes are lymph nodes in the human groin. Located in the femoral triangle of the inguinal region, they are grouped into superficial and deep lymph nodes. The superficial have three divisions: the superomedial, superolateral, and inferior superficial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Popliteal vein</span> Large leg 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 assessed using medical ultrasound. It can be affected by popliteal vein entrapment.

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

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Popliteal fossa</span> The back of your knee

The popliteal fossa is a shallow depression located at the back of the knee joint. The bones of the popliteal fossa are the femur and the tibia. Like other flexion surfaces of large joints, it is an area where blood vessels and nerves pass relatively superficially, and with an increased number of lymph nodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adductor canal</span> Aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the thigh

The adductor canal is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the thigh giving passage to parts of the femoral artery, vein, and nerve. It extends from the apex of the femoral triangle to the adductor hiatus.

Femoral hernias occur just below the inguinal ligament, when abdominal contents pass through a naturally occurring weakness in the abdominal wall called the femoral canal. Femoral hernias are a relatively uncommon type, accounting for only 3% of all hernias. While femoral hernias can occur in both males and females, almost all develop in women due to the increased width of the female pelvis. Femoral hernias are more common in adults than in children. Those that do occur in children are more likely to be associated with a connective tissue disorder or with conditions that increase intra-abdominal pressure. Seventy percent of pediatric cases of femoral hernias occur in infants under the age of one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superficial epigastric artery</span> Large blood vessel

The superficial epigastric artery arises from the front of the femoral artery about 1 cm below the inguinal ligament, and, passing through the femoral sheath and the fascia cribrosa, turns upward in front of the inguinal ligament, and ascends between the two layers of the superficial fascia of the abdominal wall nearly as far as the umbilicus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superficial circumflex iliac artery</span>

The superficial iliac circumflex artery, the smallest of the cutaneous branches of the femoral artery, arises close to the superficial epigastric artery, and, piercing the fascia lata, runs lateralward, parallel with the inguinal ligament, as far as the crest of the ilium.

The saphenous nerve is the largest cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve. It is derived from the lumbar plexus (L3-L4). It is a strictly sensory nerve, and has no motor function. It commences in the proximal (upper) thigh and travels along the adductor canal. Upon exiting the adductor canal, the saphenous nerve terminates by splitting into two terminal branches: the sartorial nerve, and the infrapatellar nerve. The saphenous nerve is responsible for providing sensory innervation to the skin of the anteromedial leg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saphenous opening</span>

In anatomy, the saphenous opening is an oval opening in the upper mid part of the fascia lata of the thigh. It lies 3–4 cm below and lateral to the pubic tubercle and is about 3 cm long and 1.5 cm wide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adductor hiatus</span> Gap between the adductor magnus muscle and the femur

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 popliteal fossa. It is the termination of the adductor canal and lies about 8–13.5 cm. superior to the adductor tubercle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anterior cutaneous branches of the femoral nerve</span>

The anterior cutaneous branches of the femoral nerve consist of the following nerves: intermediate cutaneous nerve and medial cutaneous nerve.

The Trendelenburg Test or Brodie–Trendelenburg test is a test which can be carried out as part of a physical examination to determine the competency of the valves in the superficial and deep veins of the legs in patients with varicose veins.

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The anterior accessory saphenous vein is a special anterior tributary of the great saphenous vein (GSV), draining the antero-lateral face of the thigh.

<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.

A Trendelenburg operation is a surgical procedure conducted for the treatment of varicose veins. It is the juxtafemoral flush ligation of the great saphenous vein to the femoral vein.

The sapheno-femoral junction (SFJ) is located at the saphenous opening within the groin and formed by the meeting of the great saphenous vein (GSV), common femoral vein and the superficial inguinal veins. It is one of the distinctive points where a superficial vein meets a deep vein and at which incompetent valves may occur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mickey Mouse sign</span>

Mickey Mouse sign is a medical sign resembling the head of Mickey Mouse, the Walt Disney character. Presented for the very first time at the CHIVA's Meeting, Berlin 2002 by Dr. Lurdes Cerol, this sign has been described as the image at the groin when a dilated accessory saphenous vein (ASV) exists: the common femoral vein (CFV) represents the head of Mickey Mouse while the great saphenous vein (GSV) and the dilated accessory saphenous vein (ASV) represent the ears. The presence of a Mickey Mouse sign has been a great diagnostic clue to check ASV insufficiency.

References

  1. Prince, Jim McMorran, Damian Crowther, Stew McMorran, Steve Youngmin, Ian Wacogne, Jon Pleat, Clive. "saphena varix - General Practice Notebook". www.gpnotebook.co.uk.