Femoral vein
Encyclopedia
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 canal
(also known as Hunter's canal) and is a continuation of the popliteal vein
. It ends at the inferior margin of the inguinal ligament
, where it becomes the external iliac vein
.
s drain into the femoral vein:
The practice of delivering recreational drugs
intravenously using the femoral vein is relatively common amongst injecting drug users (IDUs).
However, some specialist physicians (e.g. radiologists, and orthopaedic/vascular surgeons) use the term superficial femoral vein for the distal part of the femoral vein to:
Usage of this term is discouraged by many physician
s because it leads to confusion among general medical practitioners.
The femoral vein is considered a deep vein
, unlike the adjective superficial suggests and has led some physicians to falsely conclude it is a superficial vein
, which has resulted in patients (with deep vein thrombosis
) being denied efficacious anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy.
Human body
The human body is the entire structure of a human organism, and consists of a head, neck, torso, two arms and two legs.By the time the human reaches adulthood, the body consists of close to 100 trillion cells, the basic unit of life...
, the femoral vein is a blood vessel that accompanies the femoral
Femoral artery
The femoral artery is a general term comprising a few large arteries in the thigh. They begin at the inguinal ligament and end just above the knee at adductor canal or Hunter's canal traversing the extent of the femur bone....
artery
Artery
Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This blood is normally oxygenated, exceptions made for the pulmonary and umbilical arteries....
in the femoral sheath
Femoral sheath
The femoral sheath is formed by a prolongation downward, behind the inguinal ligament, of the fasciæ which line the abdomen, the transversalis fascia being continued down in front of the femoral vessels and the iliac fascia behind them....
. It begins at the adductor canal
Adductor canal
The adductor canal is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the thigh, extending from the apex of the femoral triangle to the opening in the Adductor magnus, the Adductor hiatus.-Boundary:...
(also known as Hunter's canal) and is a continuation of the popliteal vein
Popliteal vein
The popliteal vein course runs alongside the popliteal artery but carries the blood from the knee joint and muscles in the thigh and calf back to the heart.Its origin is defined by the junction of the posterior tibial vein and anterior tibial vein....
. It ends at the inferior margin of the inguinal ligament
Inguinal ligament
The inguinal ligament is a band running from the pubic tubercle to the anterior superior iliac spine. Its anatomy is very important for operating on hernia patients.-Anatomy:...
, where it becomes the external iliac vein
External iliac vein
The external iliac veins are large veins that connect the femoral veins to the common iliac veins. Their origin is at the inferior margin of the inguinal ligaments and they terminate when they join the internal iliac veins ....
.
Drainage
Several large veinVein
In the circulatory system, veins are blood vessels 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 blood to the heart...
s drain into the femoral vein:
- popliteal veinPopliteal veinThe popliteal vein course runs alongside the popliteal artery but carries the blood from the knee joint and muscles in the thigh and calf back to the heart.Its origin is defined by the junction of the posterior tibial vein and anterior tibial vein....
- profunda femoris veinProfunda femoris veinProfunda femoris vein is a large deep vein in the thigh. It receives blood from the inner thigh and proceeds superiorly and medially running alongside the profunda femoris artery to join with the femoral vein approximately at the level of the inferior-most portion of the ischial tuberosity....
- great saphenous veinGreat saphenous veinThe great saphenous vein , also long saphenous vein, is the large superficial vein of the leg and thigh.The terms "safaina" and "el safin" have both been claimed as the origin for the word "saphenous."-Path:The GSV originates from where the dorsal vein of the first digit...
Clinical significance
Occlusion of the femoral vein can be life-threatening.The practice of delivering recreational drugs
Recreational drug use
Recreational drug use is the use of a drug, usually psychoactive, with the intention of creating or enhancing recreational experience. Such use is controversial, however, often being considered to be also drug abuse, and it is often illegal...
intravenously using the femoral vein is relatively common amongst injecting drug users (IDUs).
Use of the term superficial femoral vein
The term superficial femoral vein is not recognized as a legitimate anatomic term.However, some specialist physicians (e.g. radiologists, and orthopaedic/vascular surgeons) use the term superficial femoral vein for the distal part of the femoral vein to:
- differentiate the femoral vein segments before and after the profunda femoris vein joins with it, and
- differentiate the distal segment of the femoral vein from the deep femoral vein (profunda femoris veinProfunda femoris veinProfunda femoris vein is a large deep vein in the thigh. It receives blood from the inner thigh and proceeds superiorly and medially running alongside the profunda femoris artery to join with the femoral vein approximately at the level of the inferior-most portion of the ischial tuberosity....
), which is paired with the profunda femoris arteryProfunda femoris arteryThe profunda femoris artery is a branch of the femoral artery that, as its name suggests, travels more deeply than the rest of the femoral artery.-Structure:...
.
Usage of this term is discouraged by many physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s because it leads to confusion among general medical practitioners.
The femoral vein is considered a deep vein
Deep vein
Deep vein is a term used to describe a vein that is deep in the body. It is used to differentiate deep veins from veins which are close to the surface, also known as superficial veins....
, unlike the adjective superficial suggests and has led some physicians to falsely conclude it is a superficial vein
Superficial vein
Superficial vein is a term used to describe a vein that is close to the surface of the body. It is used to differentiate veins that are close to the surface from veins that are far from the surface, known as deep veins....
, which has resulted in patients (with deep vein thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein. Deep vein thrombosis commonly affects the leg veins or the deep veins of the pelvis. Occasionally the veins of the arm are affected...
) being denied efficacious anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy.