Untitled Understanding the patterns of superficial veins in cubital region: a cross-sectional study from Gulf Arab Populations

The upper limb veins are anatomically categorized into superficial and deep groups. The superficial veins are located subcutaneously within the superficial fascia of the arm, and the deep veins are those accompanying the major arteries in the form of venae comitantes. Superficial veins are highly variable in their anatomy and clinically important as they can affect the success of venipuncture, transfusions, intravenous injections, cardiac catheterization, and the placement of vascular access in microsurgical procedures. The superficial venous drainage from the upper limb occurs through two or three main superficial veins, which can differ significantly in their site of origin and course. The primary superficial veins of the upper limb are the Cephalic and Basilic veins. These two veins are connected to each other by the median cubital vein in the cubital fossa. Although this basic anatomical scheme of venous drainage in the area of cubital fossa is well described in classic anatomy textbooks, numerous studies investigating the venous variations over the past decades conveniently concluded that the venous patterns in this area are extremely variable and often pose challenges to the phlebologists.