Causes of venous leg ulcer
Anatomy of the leg veins
The leg vein system is divided according to anatomical
criteria into the superficial or suprafascial and the deep
or subfascial venous system. The two regions are connect-
ed by the communicating veins to form a single function-
Venous leg ulcer is an expression of an extremely
al unit.
severe metabolic derangement in the cutis and
subcutis resulting from chronic venous insuffi-
The suprafascial veins are located in the cutis and sub-
ciency. Understanding the underlying pathome-
cutis, i.e. outside the fascia, a binding layer of connective
chanism requires a knowledge of the anatomy of
tissue surrounding the muscles. They are connected by a
network of numerous lateral branches and take the form
the leg vein system and the athophysiological
of extensive venous plexuses which drain the superficial
processes involved. blood into the deep veins, but because of their high stor-
age capacity also have functions in regulating blood vol-
ume. The superficial veins collect in the two main superfi-
cial veins, the great (vena saphena magna) and small
(vena saphena parva) saphenous veins. The small saphe-
nous vein empties into the popliteal vein (vena poplitea)
in the hollow of the knee, while the large saphenous vein 1
passes into the deep femoral vein (vena femoralis) below
the inguinal ligament.
2
The subfascial veins run as larger vessels inter- and intra-
muscularly within the fascia and are paired with the cor-
3
responding arteries. They serve as blood collectors and
4
Schematic diagram of the leg vein system (suprafascial veins: dark /
5
subfascial veins: light)
6
1) subfascial thigh vein (femoral vein)
7
2) Dodd’s veins
3) suprafascial superficial vein (great saphenous vein)
4) subfascial vein of hollow of knee (popliteal vein)
8
5) posterior subfascial shinbone vein (posterior tibial vein)
6) Boyd’s veins
7) anterior subfascial shinbone vein (anterior tibial vein)
8) Cockett’s veins 9
9) Dorsal venous arch of foot
Causes [6.7]
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47