Anterior tibial veins
Venae tibiales anteriores
Paired deep veins of the front of the leg that run with the anterior tibial artery up to the popliteal fossa.
At a glance
- English
- Anterior tibial veins
- Latin (TA2)
- Venae tibiales anteriores
- System
- Vein
- Region
- Lower limb
- Side
- Paired, left and right
About the anterior tibial veins
The anterior tibial veins are a pair of venae comitantes accompanying the anterior tibial artery in the anterior compartment of the leg. They lie with the artery and the deep fibular nerve on the front of the interosseous membrane, between tibialis anterior on the medial side and extensor digitorum longus and extensor hallucis longus laterally.
They begin on the front of the ankle as the continuation of the dorsalis pedis veins, which collect blood from the deep tissues of the dorsum of the foot and are connected with the dorsal venous arch. From there they climb the front of the leg, gathering veins from the muscles of the anterior compartment and from the ankle, knee and tibiofibular joints, and they are also linked to the superficial veins by perforating veins.
Near the top of the leg the veins pass backwards between the two leg bones, through the gap above the upper edge of the interosseous membrane. In the back of the leg, at the lower border of popliteus, they join the posterior tibial veins, and together they form the popliteal vein.
Like the other deep veins of the calf, the anterior tibial veins rely on contraction of the surrounding muscles and on their valves to move blood upwards. They are less often the site of deep vein thrombosis than the posterior tibial and fibular veins, but they are included in a full ultrasound scan of the calf veins. In compartment syndrome of the anterior leg, rising pressure first compresses these thin-walled veins, which worsens the swelling.
Course and drainage
- Begins at
- Continue from the dorsalis pedis veins at the front of the ankle, connected with the dorsal venous arch of the foot.
- Drains into
- Pass back above the interosseous membrane and join the posterior tibial veins at the lower border of popliteus to form the popliteal vein.
- Drains
- Drain the anterior compartment of the leg, the deep dorsum of the foot and the ankle, knee and tibiofibular joints.
Anthromica
See the anterior tibial veins where it really sits, with every layer of the body around it.
- Every layer, one body. Peel from muscle to bone, nerve, vessel and organ, and turn it any way.
- English and Latin. Every structure named the way your exam names it.
- Quiz until it sticks. Short drills on the structures you keep missing.
Free to start. No card.
