Small saphenous vein

Fig. 9.1. Frontal and posterior diagrams of the lower extremity demonstrating the great and small saphenous veins and their named tributaries. The two saphenous systems can he connected via the vein of Giacomini...

Fig. 2.2a,b. Subcutaneous veins and nerves, a Transverse 12-5 MHz US image obtained over the posterior calf demonstrates the small saphenous vein (white arrowhead) and the adjacent sural nerve (black arrowhead) running in the deep subcutaneous tissue. Detection of the larger vein is a usefiil landmark for recognition of the smaller nerve. Arrows indicate the fascial plane, b Schematic drawing correlation shows subcutaneous veins (white arrowheads) and the nerve (black arrowhead) coursing in the connective spaces which separate fat lobules... 

Simonetti S, Bianchi S, Martinoli C (1999) Neurophysiological and ultrasound findings in sural nerve lesions following stripping of the small saphenous vein. Muscle Nerve 22 1724-1726... 

Superficial venous thrombosis, which is also known as superficial thrombophlebitis, refers to thrombus located in the large or small saphenous veins or in superficial varicosities. This condition does not have the same clinical implications as deep venous thrombosis and, when the deep system is not involved, can be treated with only heat and anticoagulation drugs (aspirin). The thrombosis of the superficial venous system is more easily recog-... 

The value of US in detection of sural nerve lesions following stripping of the adjacent small saphenous vein has been described (Simonetti et al. 1999). 

The posterior ankle houses the sural nerve, a cutaneous sensory branch that supplies the skin of the posterolateral aspect of the inferior third of the leg, the lateral margin of the foot and the lateral side of the small toe. This nerve enters the ankle between the lateral malleolus and the Achilles tendon, accompanied by the small saphenous vein. Over the dorsum of the foot, the sural nerve anastomoses with branches of the superficial peroneal nerve. 

Fig. 16.34. Normal sural nerve. Transverse 12-5 MHz US image obtained at the lateral aspect of the Achilles tendon (A) demonstrates the sural nerve (arrow) adjacent to the small saphenous vein (v). The photograph at the upper left of the figure indicates probe positioning...

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