Femoral vein

Femoral vein segments.

• The common femoral vein is the segment of the femoral vein between the branching point of the deep femoral vein and the inferior margin of the inguinal ligament.[2]
• The subsartorial vein[3] or superficial femoral vein[2] are designations for the segment between the adductor hiatus and the branching point of the deep femoral vein, passing through the subsartorial canal. However, usage of the term superficial femoral vein is discouraged by many physicians because it leads to confusion among general medical practitioners.[4] In particular, the femoral vein is clinically a deep vein, where deep vein thrombosis indicates anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy, but the adjective "superficial" leads many physicians to falsely believe it is a superficial vein, which has resulted in patients with femoral thrombosis being denied proper treatment.[5][6][7] Therefore, the term subsartorial vein has been suggested for the femoral vein distally to the branching point of the deep femoral vein.[3]

Several large veins drain into the femoral vein:

• Great saphenous vein, into the common femoral vein.
• Deep vein of the thigh, whose entry marks the border between the subsartorial vein and common femoral vein.
• Popliteal vein, becoming the subsartorial or superficial femoral vein at the adductor hiatus.

Occlusion of the femoral vein can be life-threatening due to its size.[4] For example, deep vein thrombosis of the femoral vein can cause pulmonary embolism, with a higher risk when being more proximal to the subsartorial vein.[3] The femoral vein is often used to place central venous lines.

The practice of delivering recreational drugs intravenously using the femoral vein is relatively common amongst injecting drug users (IDUs).[8]

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  Doppler ultrasonography of deep vein thrombosis in the subsartorial vein.
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  Drawing of the left femoral triangle - shows superior portion of the femoral vein.
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  Structures surrounding right hip-joint.
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  Cross-section through the middle of the thigh.
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  Femoral sheath laid open to show its three compartments.
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  The spermatic cord in the inguinal canal.
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  Femoral vein
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  Femoral vein
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  Femoral vein
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  Femoral vein
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  Femoral vein
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  Femoral vein

• Gray's s157 - "The Arteries of the Lower Extremity"
• Anatomy figure: 12:05-01 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Veins of the lower extremity shown in association with major landmarks."
• Cross section image: pelvis/pelvis-e12-15—Plastination Laboratory at the Medical University of Vienna