Illustrated Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation: Opus II: Cardiovascular System
Ronald A. Bergman, PhD
Adel K. Afifi, MD, MS
Ryosuke Miyauchi, MD
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed
I= superficial circumflex iliac vein; E superficial epigastric vein; P=pudendal vein; LF= lateral superficial femoral vein; MF= medial and superficial femoral vein; AS= accessory saphenous vein; SS= double saphenous vein; S= vena saphena magna; F= femoral vein.
A: Average "textbook" diagram of venous drainage at fossa ovalis. Incidence 37 %.
B: Multiple divisions of the medial and superficial femoral veins of small caliber. Incidence 6%.
C: Large lateral superficial femoral vein drains into the fossa ovalis. The inconstant thoracoepigastric vein drains into the vena saphena magna instead of the femoral vein. Incidence 2%.
D: The lateral superficial femoral and the accessory saphenous vein drains into the fossa ovalis. Incidence 2%.
E: The accessory saphenous vein forms a common stem with the superficial external pudendal vein before joining the vena saphena magna. Incidence 6%.
F: A common trunk formed by the lateral superficial femoral, superficial circumflex iliac, and superficial epigastric veins drain into the fossa ovalis. Incidence 9%.
G: A common trunk formed by the lateral superficial femoral and superficial circumflex iliac veins drains into the fossa ovalis. Incidence 9%.
H: The superficial epigastric and the superficial external pudendal veins for a common trunk. A large lateral superficial femoral vein is present. Incidence 2%.
I: An accessory saphenous vein is present. Note the drainage of double superficial external pudendal veins. Incidence 1%.
J: Double superficial external pudendal veins drain into the fossa ovalis. Incidence 3%.
K: The superficial epigastric vein drains into the vena saphena magna below the fossa ovalis. Incidence 3%.
L: The superficial circumflex iliac vein drains into the femoral vein. Incidence 1 %.
M: All high collateral veins drain directly into the femoral vein. Incidence 6%.
N: The lateral femoral and the superficial circumflex iliac vein form a common trunk. The other high collateral veins drain directly into the femoral vein. Incidence 1%.
O: The lateral femoral vein drains into the fossa ovalis. The superficial circumflex iliac and the superficial external pudendal veins drain directly into the femoral vein. Incidence 6%.
P: Note the small caliber multiple medial and lateral superficial femoral veins. The superficial circumflex iliac and the superficial external pudendal veins drain directly into the femoral vein. Incidence 1 %.
Q: The lateral superficial femoral vein drains directly into the femoral vein. Incidence 1%.
R: A double vena saphena magna joins at the fossa ovalis. Incidence 3%.
S: The saphena magna pierces the deep fascia to enter the femoral vein about 1 inch (2.54 cm) below the fossa ovalis. Incidence 1%.
illustration redrawn from Glasser, S.T. An anatomic study of venous variations at the fossa ovalis. Arch. Surg. 46:289-295, 1943.
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