Chinese Journal of Clinical Anatomy >
The applied anatomy of lymphatics around the great saphenous vein
Received date: 2013-12-05
Online published: 2014-06-04
Objective To determine the lymphatic anatomy around the great saphenous vein (GSV) for the treatment of secondary lymphoedema in the lower extremity. Methods A total of six lower extremities from three unembalmed human cadavers were studied. Under a surgical microscope, 6% hydrogen peroxide was used to detect the lymphatic vessels commencing on the skin between the medial malleolus and the Achilles tendon. A 30-gauge needle was inserted into the vessels and injected with a radio-opaque barium sulphate or lead oxide mixture. The vessels were traced, photographed and radiographed to demonstrate the lymphatic pathways around GSV in the lower extremity. Results Numerous lymphatic vessels were identified in the subcutaneous tissue around GSV travelling in the medial side of the lower extremity. They originated underneath the dermis between the medial malleolus and the Achilles tendon, travelling towards the superficial inguinal lymph nodes. The diameters of the vessels varied from 0.2 to 1.8 mm. During their tortuous course some vessels branched, diverged and converged, and sometimes anastomosed with neighboring vessels or crossed them. Most vessels converged to form larger collectors and then diverged into small branches before entering the lymph nodes. The nutrient vessels of the lymphatic vessels were found in 1 case. Conclusion Actual and accurate lymphatic routes from the skin between the medial malleolus and the Achilles tendon to the inguinal lymph nodes have been described. This information upgrades our anatomical knowledge and the results will be of bene?t for the clinical management of lymphedema and the other lymph-related diseases of the lower extremity.
BO Wei-Ren , WANG De-An , CHEN Yuan , CENG Fan-Jiang . The applied anatomy of lymphatics around the great saphenous vein[J]. Chinese Journal of Clinical Anatomy, 2014 , 32(3) : 269 -274 . DOI: 10.13418/j.issn.1001-165x.2014
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