A case report of an uncommon course of the small saphenous vein

Abstract

This study reports on a variation of the small saphenous vein identified during routine anatomic dissection of a male cadaver. The small saphenous vein did not drain into the popliteal vein and was directed upwards to drain into the great saphenous vein. During the small saphenous vein ascending course to great saphenous vein, a short branch drained the long head of biceps femoris muscle into the small saphenous vein. Furthermore, an anastomotic branch between small saphenous vein and great saphenous vein was observed in the posterior aspect of the thigh. The current study described unusual anatomy of the small saphenous vein, which is important knowledge for surgeons since SSV has been useful in coronary artery bypass grafts and treatment of varicose veins.