Superficial vein
Encyclopedia
Superficial vein is a term used to describe a vein
Vein
In the circulatory system, veins are blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated blood to the heart...

 that is close to the surface of the body. It is used to differentiate veins that are close to the surface from veins that are far from the surface, known as deep vein
Deep vein
Deep vein is a term used to describe a vein that is deep in the body. It is used to differentiate deep veins from veins which are close to the surface, also known as superficial veins....

s.

Superficial veins are not paired with an artery, unlike the deep veins, which typically have an artery
Artery
Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This blood is normally oxygenated, exceptions made for the pulmonary and umbilical arteries....

 with the same name close by.

Superficial veins are important physiologically
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...

 for cooling of the body
Body
With regard to living things, a body is the physical body of an individual. "Body" often is used in connection with appearance, health issues and death...

. When the body is too hot the body shunts blood from the deep vein
Deep vein
Deep vein is a term used to describe a vein that is deep in the body. It is used to differentiate deep veins from veins which are close to the surface, also known as superficial veins....

s to the superficial veins, to facilitate heat transfer
Heat transfer
Heat transfer is a discipline of thermal engineering that concerns the exchange of thermal energy from one physical system to another. Heat transfer is classified into various mechanisms, such as heat conduction, convection, thermal radiation, and phase-change transfer...

 to the surroundings. Superficial veins can be seen under the skin. Those below the level of the heart tend to bulge out. An immediate way to see this by looking at your hand: raise it above your heart and the blood should drain--lower it below your heart it will fill. Veins become more visually prominent when lifting heavy weight, especially after a period of proper strength training
Strength training
Strength training is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. There are many different methods of strength training, the most common being the use of gravity or elastic/hydraulic forces to oppose muscle contraction...

.

Physiologically, the superficial veins are not as important as the deep veins (as they carry less blood) and are sometimes removed in a procedure called vein stripping
Vein stripping
Vein stripping is a surgical procedure done under general or local anaesthetic to remove varicose veins. The surgery involves making one or more incisions upon the desired area followed by insertion of a special wire into the vein. The wire is tied to and advanced through the vein to a desired...

, which is used to treat varicose veins.

Upper limb

  • cephalic vein
    Cephalic vein
    In human anatomy, the cephalic vein is a superficial vein of the upper limb.It communicates with the basilic vein via the median cubital vein at the elbow and is located in the superficial fascia along the anterolateral surface of the biceps brachii muscle.Superiorly the cephalic vein passes...

     - glides along the biceps: the "signature vein" of bodybuilders
  • median cubital vein
    Median cubital vein
    In human anatomy, the median cubital vein is a superficial vein of the upper limb. It connects the basilic and cephalic vein and is often used for venipuncture . It lies in the cubital fossa superficial to the bicipital aponeurosis.There exists a fair amount of variation of the median cubital vein...

     - often used to draw blood (venipuncture
    Venipuncture
    In medicine, venepuncture, venopuncture or venipuncture is the process of obtaining intravenous access for the purpose of intravenous therapy or for blood sampling of venous blood. This procedure is performed by medical laboratory scientists, medical practitioners, some EMTs, paramedics,...

    ).
  • basilic vein
    Basilic vein
    In human anatomy, the basilic vein is a large superficial vein of the upper limb that helps drain parts of hand and forearm. It originates on the medial side of the dorsal venous network of the hand, and it travels up the base of the forearm and arm...

     - usually the largest vein in the arm: often used for dialysis
    Dialysis
    In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...

     access

Lower limb

  • small saphenous vein
    Small saphenous vein
    The small saphenous vein , is a relatively large vein of the superficial posterior leg.-Path:Its origin is where the dorsal vein from the fifth digit merges with the dorsal venous arch of the foot, which attaches to the great saphenous vein...

  • great saphenous vein
    Great saphenous vein
    The great saphenous vein , also long saphenous vein, is the large superficial vein of the leg and thigh.The terms "safaina" and "el safin" have both been claimed as the origin for the word "saphenous."-Path:The GSV originates from where the dorsal vein of the first digit...

     - often "harvested" for coronary artery bypass surgery
    Coronary artery bypass surgery
    Coronary artery bypass surgery, also coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and colloquially heart bypass or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure performed to relieve angina and reduce the risk of death from coronary artery disease...


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