The main superficial veins are the great and small saphenous veins, which drain into the deep veins as they ascend the limb by means of perforating veins so that muscular compression can propel blood toward the heart against the pull of gravity. Note that the distal great saphenous vein is accompanied by the saphenous nerve, and the small saphenous vein is accompanied by the sural nerve and its medial root (medial sural cutaneous nerve).
Reproduced with permission from: Moore KL, Dalley AF. Clinically oriented anatomy, 5th ed, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia 2006. Copyright © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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