The saphenofemoral junction in ultrasound

Summary

Examination of the opening of the great saphenous vein from the pelvis into the deep leg veins is one of the core features of venous duplex ultrasound. The variants of the lateral branches of the saphenofemoral junction are manifold, as are the possible sources of reflux, depending on the competence of the two valves at the opening: the terminal valve immediately at the junction with the deep leg veins and the preterminal valve distal to the saphenofemoral junction. Duplex ultrasound allows imaging of the individual flow in each of these veins and analysis of their interaction. The following article presents the various classifications of saphenofe-moral incompetence, with appropriate schematic diagrams and explains them using images obtained by duplex ultrasound examination.

Keywords

Duplex ultrasound - Venenfluss

• References

• 1 Hach W, Hach-Wunderle V. Die Rezirkulationskreise der primären Varikose – Pathophysiologische Grundlagen zur chirurgischen Therapie. Berlin: Springer Verlag; 1994
• 2 Mendoza E. Untersuchung der V. saphena magna. in: Mendoza E. Duplexsonographie der oberflächlichen Beinvenen. Heidelberg: Springer; 2013: 120
• 3 Mendoza E. Provokationsmanöver für die duplexsonographische Diagnostik der Varikose. Phlebologie 2013; 42: 357-362.
• 4 Mühlberger D, Morandini L, Brenner E. Venous valves and major superficial tributary veins near the saphenofemoral junction. J Vasc Surg 2009; 49: 1562-1569.
• 5 Stücker M, Moritz R, Altmeyer P, Reich-Schupke S. New concept: different types of insufficiency of the saphenofemoral junction identified by duplex as□a chance for a more differentiated therapy of the great saphenous vein. Phlebology 2013; 28: 268-274.
• 6 Coleridge-Smith P, Labropoulos N, Partsch H, Myers K, Nicolaides A, Cavezzi A. Duplex-Ultraschalluntersuchung der Venen der unteren Extremitäten bei chronischer Veneninsuffizienz – UIP-Konsensusdokument Teil I: Grundlagen. Phlebologie 2006; 35: 256-263.