Many people confuse the concepts of vein and artery. Let's see how these two elements of the human circulatory system differ from each other before moving on to an overview of its specific part.
Heart
The central organ of the human vascular system is the heart, on which tubes of different sizes and diameters, the so-called blood vessels, are closed. Rhythmically contracting, it pumps the blood that is inside the body. Arteries are called vessels that carry blood from the heart to peripheral organs, while veins deliver blood back to the heart. This is the main difference. Venous and arterial bleeding differ in characteristic signs: in the first case, the blood flows in a jet, and in the second it gushes.
Arteries and veins
There are several cardinal differences between arteries and veins:
- Arteries carry blood to the organs from the heart, veins - in the opposite direction. in the first case, oxygen is transported through the vessels, and in the second, carbon dioxide.
- Arteries have thicker and more elastic walls thanat the veins The blood in them moves under pressure. In the veins, the flow is much calmer.
- There are twice as many veins as there are arteries, and their location is more superficial.
- In the medical field, samples are taken from veins, not arteries.
This article will focus on the femoral vein.
Venous networks
To conduct a correct diagnosis of the disease and make a correct diagnosis in the field of venous diseases, you need to clearly understand the system of blood vessels of the lower extremities. There is a deep and superficial network of veins. Deep consists of paired vessels passing next to the arteries on the fingers, foot and lower leg. The tibial veins converge in the femoropopliteal canal and create an unpaired popliteal vein that passes into the femoral vein. Before moving to the ileum, up to 8 peripheral vessels join it. In addition to them, it also adds a deep vein that carries blood cells from the back of the thigh.
The superficial circulatory network is located directly under the skin. It consists of the great and small saphenous veins, respectively.
Thigh veins
It is extremely important for a vascular surgeon to know the detailed structure of the circulatory system. If the vessel consists of several trunks, it can be difficult to find the deep femoral vein. Surgeons conditionally divide it into superficial, located more deeply, and general, which is closer to the confluence of the deep vein.
The Deep Vein is the farthest of all major tributaries. She connects tofemoral vessel just below the inguinal region. Further, it includes tributaries of smaller diameter. In addition, two additional ones, called the paraarterial venous bed, flow into the lower part of the mouth of the deep vein.
Common vein
The common femoral vein includes the great saphenous, medial, and lateral veins surrounding the thigh. Each has its location and meaning. The medial is closer than the lateral. It joins in the greater subcutaneous region and above.
In the vein of the thigh there are usually up to 5 valves that prevent the movement of blood in the opposite direction. The distance between them often reaches 7 cm. In this case, the clearance is often no more than 12 mm. Sometimes she has two trunks that connect at the bottom of the ischial tuberosity. The deep femoral vein is located on the outer part of the femur, which is crossed by its proximal section, flowing into the main one.
The veins accompanying the femoral artery are located in the lower and middle part of the thigh, on the outer or inner side of the artery and are connected to it in several places. Such areas are called anastomoses. Depending on how the valves are located in the vessels accompanying the femoral artery, blood can flow in them in different directions.
The great saphenous vein can have two or more trunks. True doubling is the case when it enters the femur with different mouths. But much more often they connect in the upper part of the thigh. We have considered the anatomy of the femoral vein.
Pathologies
The most common ailments of the veins of the thigh are thrombosis and venous dilation. And if the latter disease is ubiquitous and in most cases does not threaten life, although it is rather unpleasant, then thrombosis is another matter. It is worth talking about it separately.
Thrombosis
Thrombosis of the femoral vein is of two types: superficial and deep. Such a disease of deep veins is the formation of blood clots that partially or completely clog the vessel. It most often occurs in the lower extremities. To be more precise, in the veins of the thigh. This disease affects 20% of the population of our country. In the bulk, the disease occurs in men, quite rarely in women (mostly suffering from varicose veins). Without proper treatment, deep vein thrombosis can be fatal as a result of pulmonary embolism.
Signs of superficial femoral vein thrombosis are:
- Swelling and pain in the legs from the groin down.
- Cyanosis of the skin on the legs.
- The so-called petechial rash in the form of small red dots.
- Increase in body temperature as a result of phlebitis - inflammation of the walls of the vessel.
With deep vein thrombosis, two stages are distinguished: white and blue phlegmasia. At the initial stage, due to impaired blood circulation, the skin of the leg becomes pale, cold to the touch, with severe pain.
Blue phlegmasia is a sign of overcrowding of venous vessels with blood. With it, the skin candarken, and swellings appear on its surface, which contain hemorrhagic fluid. With such symptoms, thrombosis runs the risk of spilling over into acute gangrene.
Prerequisites for deep vein thrombosis
Most often, deep vein thrombosis occurs when a vessel is compressed for a long time by a tumor or bone fragment during a fracture. Another reason for the formation of cork is a violation of blood circulation in certain diseases. Poorly circulating blood leads to stagnation and, accordingly, blood clots. The key causes of clogged veins are:
- Decrease in the rate of blood circulation in the vessels.
- Increased clotting time.
- Damage to vessel walls.
- Long periods of immobility, such as severe illness.
Some professional activities have a negative impact on the condition of the veins. Sellers, cashiers, pilots, international drivers have a hard time. They are forced to stand or sit in one position for a long time. Therefore, they are at risk. Frequently recurring diseases that lead to dehydration, such as acute intestinal infections, accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting, chronic diseases of the intestines and pancreas. It also occurs against the background of excessive intake of drugs with a diuretic effect. Dangerous pathologies that cause an imbalance of fats and proteins, including diabetes, atherosclerosis, cancer. Bad habits lead to an increase in the likelihood of platelets sticking together:smoking, alcohol abuse.
Why is a femoral vein catheterization necessary? More on that below.
Diagnosis and treatment
Needless to say, the importance of timely diagnosis and medical or other intervention for DVT. To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to do an ultrasound or dopplerography of the femoral vein. Such diagnostics will help determine the exact location of the thrombus and the degree of its fixation to the vessel wall. In other words, to understand whether it can come off and clog the vessel, and also cause pulmonary embolism or not. Also, when detecting DVT, the phlebography method is used - an x-ray with a contrast agent. However, the most accurate method to date is angiography. On the eve of the procedure, you must observe strict bed rest. Sometimes a femoral vein puncture is performed.
Treatment of DVT depends on the cause of the disease and the individual patient. If the vessel is not completely clogged and a thrombus is unlikely to break off, then conservative therapy is indicated. It is necessary to restore the patency of the veins, prevent the violation of the integrity of the thrombus and avoid vascular embolism. To achieve the above goals, special medicines, ointments, and compression therapy are used, for example, it is recommended to wear special compression stockings.
If the patient is in a satisfactory condition, but drug treatment is contraindicated for him, then surgical methods for the treatment of deep thrombosis are used. The operation is carried out on the latestequipment and is high-tech. Thrombectomy is prescribed when the risk of separation of a blood clot and blockage of the main vessels is not excluded. This plug is removed through a small incision by inserting a special catheter. During the operation, the “clogged” vessel is completely cleared, but recurrence is not ruled out.
To avoid thrombosis, you need to follow some rules and completely reconsider your lifestyle. It is recommended to give up bad habits, eat right, lead a physically active lifestyle, try to avoid injuries to the lower extremities, etc. We examined the femoral arteries and veins. Now you know how they differ and what they are.
