Small saphenous vein
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(Redirected from Lesser saphenous vein)
| Vein: Small saphenous vein | ||
|---|---|---|
| Small saphenous vein and its tributaries. | ||
| Latin | v. saphena parva | |
| Gray's | subject #173 | |
The small saphenous vein, also lesser saphenous vein or vena saphena parva, is the relatively large vein of the leg. Its origin is where the dorsal vein from the fifth digit (smallest toe) merges with the dorsal venous arch of the foot, which attaches to the great saphenous vein. It is a considered a superficial vein and is subcutaneous (just under the skin).
From its origin, it courses around the lateral aspect of the foot (inferior and posterior to the lateral malleolus) and runs along the posterior aspect of the leg (with the sural nerve), passes between the heads of the gastrocnemius muscle, and drains into the popliteal vein, approximately at or above the level of the knee joint.
[edit] External links
- The Arteries of the Lower Extremity - Gray's Anatomy.
- The Veins of the Lower Extremity, Abdomen, and Pelvis - Gray's Anatomy.
- Small saphenous vein - Stedman's medical dictionary.
