Lower limb
Small saphenous vein (Short saphenous vein)
Vena saphena parva
- Origin
- Arises from the lateral border of the dorsal venous arch of the foot posterior to the lateral malleolus
- Insertion
- Ascends the midline of the posterior calf with the sural nerve, pierces the popliteal fascia, and drains into the popliteal vein
- Function
- Superficial venous drainage of the lateral foot, heel, and posterior calf
- Innervation
- Sympathetic vasomotor fibers
- Movement & chain
- Subfascial course in the mid-calf intimately associated with the sural nerve
- Palpation
- Palpable posterior to the lateral malleolus and along the posterior midline of the calf
- Clinical
- Small saphenous incompetence producing posterior calf varicosities; high risk of sural nerve injury (numbness on lateral foot) during surgical extraction
- Segmental innervation
- Superficial venous drainage of leg
- In clinical practice
- Ultrasound-guided endovenous laser/radiofrequency ablation with tumescent local anesthesia protecting the adjacent sural nerve
- Region in the model
- Lower limb