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A patient with severe atherosclerosis of the external iliac artery and adjacent femoral artery is scheduled for coronary artery bypass surgery. The surgeon decides to use a long, mostly unbranched muscular vein found on the medial aspect of the leg both above and below the knee. Through which of the following structures does this vein pass to eventually join the femoral vein?
Options:
A. Anatomic snuff box
B. Antecubital fossa
C. Fossa ovalis
D. Inguinal canal
E. Popliteal fossa
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The correct answer is C. The vein described is the greater (long) saphenous vein, which starts on the dorsal surface of the foot, wraps proximally to follow the medial aspect of the leg below and past the knee, and then dives into the deep fascia through the fossa ovalis (also called the saphenous opening) to reach the femoral vein, which becomes the external iliac vein shortly after it is joined by the greater saphenous vein.
The anatomic snuff box (choice A) is on the wrist. Some authors also refer to an "anatomic snuff box of the foot," through which the saphenous vein does pass, but this is early in its course, and not just before it joins the femoral vein.
The antecubital fossa (choice B) is at the elbow.
The inguinal canal (choice D) contains structures going to and from the testes.
The saphenous vein passes near, but not through, the popliteal fossa (choice E) to cross the knee.
