The popliteal vein is a

vein Veins () are blood vessels in the circulatory system of humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are those of the pulmonary and feta ...

of the

lower limb Lower may refer to: *Lower (album), ''Lower'' (album), 2025 album by Benjamin Booker *Lower (surname) *Lower Township, New Jersey *Lower Receiver (firearms) *Lower Wick Gloucestershire, England See also

*Nizhny {{Disambiguation ...

. It is formed from the anterior tibial vein and the posterior tibial vein. It travels medial to the popliteal artery, and becomes the

femoral vein In the human body, the femoral vein is the vein that accompanies the femoral artery in the femoral sheath. It is a deep vein that begins at the adductor hiatus (an opening in the adductor magnus muscle) as the continuation of the popliteal v ...

. It drains blood from the

leg A leg is a weight-bearing and locomotive anatomical structure, usually having a columnar shape. During locomotion, legs function as "extensible struts". The combination of movements at all joints can be modeled as a single, linear element cap ...

. It can be assessed using

medical ultrasound Medical ultrasound includes Medical diagnosis, diagnostic techniques (mainly medical imaging, imaging) using ultrasound, as well as therapeutic ultrasound, therapeutic applications of ultrasound. In diagnosis, it is used to create an image of ...

. It can be affected by popliteal vein entrapment.

Structure

The popliteal vein is formed by the junction of the venae comitantes of the anterior tibial vein and the posterior tibial vein at the lower border of the popliteus muscle. It travels on the medial side of the popliteal artery. It is superficial to the popliteal artery. As it ascends through the fossa, it crosses behind the popliteal artery so that it comes to lie on its lateral side. It passes through the adductor hiatus (the opening in the adductor magnus muscle) to become the

.Moore K.L. and Dalley A.F. (2006), Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 5th Edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Toronto, page 636

Tributaries

The tributaries of the popliteal vein include: * Veins that correspond to branches given off by the popliteal artery (see popliteal artery). * the small saphenous vein, which perforates the deep fascia and passes between the two heads of the

gastrocnemius muscle The gastrocnemius muscle (plural ''gastrocnemii'') is a superficial two-headed muscle that is in the back part of the lower leg of humans. It is located superficial to the soleus in the posterior (back) compartment of the leg. It runs from its t ...

to end in the popliteal vein. * the fibular veins.

Variation

The popliteal vein may be doubled in up to 35% of people.

Function

The popliteal vein drains blood from the

Clinical significance

The popliteal vein is readily palpated in the popliteal fossa adjacent to the adductor magnus muscle. The popliteal vein can be visualised using

, including Doppler ultrasonography. It may be affected by a

thrombus A thrombus ( thrombi) is a solid or semisolid aggregate from constituents of the blood (platelets, fibrin, red blood cells, white blood cells) within the circulatory system during life. A blood clot is the final product of the blood coagulatio ...

Popliteal vein entrapment

The popliteal vein may become trapped. This reduces the flow of blood out of the leg, causing

oedema Edema (American English), also spelled oedema (British English), and also known as fluid retention, swelling, dropsy and hydropsy, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. Symptoms may inclu ...

pain Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging Stimulus (physiology), stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sense, sensory and emotional experience associated with, or res ...

, and venous ulcers. Entrapment is usually caused by

. Venography (using an

x-ray An X-ray (also known in many languages as Röntgen radiation) is a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than those of ultraviolet rays and longer than those of gamma rays. Roughly, X-rays have a wavelength ran ...

) or

magnetic resonance imaging Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to generate pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes inside the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and ...

can investigate it. Surgery can be used to remove tissue creating pressure.

Additional images

File:Gray582.png, The small saphenous vein. Popliteal vein is labeled at top. File:Gray583.png, The popliteal vein File:Blausen 0609 LegVeins.png,

Vein Veins () are blood vessels in the circulatory system of humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are those of the pulmonary and feta ...

s of the leg

References

{{Authority control Veins of the lower limb