A STUDY OF VARIATIONS IN THE SHORT SAPHENOUS VENOUS SYSTEM WITH CLINICAL CORRELATION

The common liability of the superficial venous system of the lower extremity to varicoses has naturally attracted the attention of Anatomists and Surgeons. Variations in the superficial veins of the lower limb are very common. The extent of such variations, their connections to either the Long or Short saphenous venous systems are usually described. Generally the clinical assessment, including tourniquet tests and Doppler ultrasound, of primary varicose veins presents no problem. However, in some patients, the information so obtained is inadequate for appropriate management and difficulties arise because of abnormal communication between the long and short saphenous veins. Sometimes the main trunks alone are affected and in others only the tributaries are anomalous. In few cases both are involved. In extensive varicose veins, because of overlap of the long and short saphenous territories, it can be difficult to assess which system is involved or whether both are affected. Detailed knowledge regarding the anatomical variations such as reduplication of the long saphenous vein and unusual termination of the short saphenous vein is a prerequisite in the diagnosis and management of varicose veins. Usually the short saphenous vein terminates in the popliteal fossa a few cms above the knee joint, but in almost one half of patients it terminates at a higher or lower level. In this study short saphenous vein terminated at unusual sites is described. Although attention has been mainly directed to the great saphenous vein for the elucidation of the causation of the varicose condition, the study of the small saphenous vein, which phylogenetically is the more important vein, throws light upon the problem.Interestingly variations seen in this study should be kept in mind due to its clinical & surgical significance.