[Peculiarities of ultrasonographic anatomy of the small saphenous vein].

The authors studied the prevalence and peculiarities of lesions of the small saphenous vein (SSV), having performed ultrasonographic mapping of this vessel on 223 lower limbs. We revealed three major variants of localization of the SSV's terminal portion. In 36.3 % of cases, the SSV merged with the popliteal vein in the zone from the projection of the knee-join line and not above 7 cm from this level (type I). In 29.6% of cases, the SSV flowed into the femoral vein at a height of 8-20 cm from the knee-joint line (type II). In 31,3 % of cases, the SSV's terminal portion had no direct connection with the deep veins. In the upper third of the femur, the vessel flowed into the confluents of the large saphenous vein, or into the system of the gluteal veins (type III) The largest by the calibre are type I veins. Valvular insufficiency of the SSV was revealed in 16 (7.2 %) cases. The majority of the veins with incompetent valves (12) belonged to type I In the group of 143 veins with the diameter of not more than 0.4 cm at the level of the knee-joint fissure in the standing position, no pathological venous reflux was registered. We also examined the extent of the reflux along the SSV. Only in one case blood shunt to the lower third of the crus was registered. A combination of venous insufficiency of the SSV and the large saphenous vein on the same extremity was revealed only in 2 cases (1.6%). The obtained results give occasion to reconsider certain diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in varicose disease in the SSV's basin.