Lower limb
Popliteal vein
Vena poplitea
- Origin
- Formed at the lower border of popliteus by the union of anterior and posterior tibial veins
- Insertion
- Ascends through the popliteal fossa to become the femoral vein at the adductor hiatus
- Function
- Major deep venous channel draining the lower leg; receives the small saphenous vein
- Innervation
- Sympathetic vasomotor plexus
- Movement & chain
- Valvular incompetence contributes to deep venous reflux and chronic venous insufficiency
- Palpation
- Not palpable; situated between the popliteal artery and tibial nerve
- Clinical
- Popliteal DVT; compression by a large popliteal (Baker's) cyst mimicking DVT (pseudothrombophlebitis)
- Segmental innervation
- Deep lower limb venous system
- In clinical practice
- Standard landmark during compression venous ultrasound for lower limb DVT workup
- Region in the model
- Lower limb