The superficial veins of the upper limb include the cephalic vein and basilic vein. The cephalic vein originates on the back of the hand and travels up the lateral forearm and arm, terminating in the axillary vein. The basilic vein also originates on the back of the hand, traveling medially up the forearm and arm where it joins the brachial artery to form the axillary vein. The median cubital vein is a branch of the cephalic vein that crosses in front of the brachial artery and median nerve in the cubital fossa before joining the basilic vein. The superficial lymph vessels follow similar paths to the cephalic and basilic veins to drain into lymph

1. Superficial veins and lymphatics of
the upper limb
Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud Mosaed

2. Veins of the upper limb
• The veins of the upper limb can be divided
into two groups: superficial and deep.
• The superficial veins of the upper limb
lie in the superficial fascia.
• The deep veins comprise the venae
comitantes (usually in pairs) which
accompany all the large arteries and the
axillary vein.

3. Dorsal Venous Arch (or Network)
• Site: The dorsal venous arch lies in the
subcutaneous tissue of the dorsum of the hand
proximal to the metacarpophalangeal joints and
drains on the lateral side into the cephalic vein
and, on the medial side, into the basilic vein.
• The greater part of the blood from the whole hand
drains into the arch, which receives digital veins
and freely communicates with the deep veins of
the palm through the interosseous spaces

5. The superficial veins
• The superficial veins of the forearm lie in the superficial
fascia.
• The cephalic vein
• Origin arises from the lateral side of the dorsal venous
arch on the back of the hand
• Course it winds around the lateral border of the
forearm; it then ascends into the cubital fossa and up
the front of the arm on the lateral side of the biceps.
• Termination It terminates in the axillary vein in the
deltopectoral triangle.
• Tributaries it receives a variable number of tributaries
from the lateral and posterior surfaces of the limb .

7. The median cubital vein
• The median cubital vein, a
branch of the cephalic vein in the
cubital fossa, runs upward and
medially and joins the basilic
vein.
• In the cubital fossa, the median
cubital vein crosses in front of
the brachial artery and the
median nerve, but it is separated
from them by the bicipital
aponeurosis.
• It is often used for venipuncture
(taking blood) due to its
relatively constant location and
large size

8. The basilic vein
• Origin it arises from the medial side of the dorsal
venous arch on the back of the hand.
• Course it winds around the medial border of the
forearm; it then ascends into the cubital fossa and
up the front of the arm on the medial side of the
biceps.
• Termination by joining the venae comitantes of
the brachial artery to form the axillary vein.
• Tributaries It receives the median cubital vein
and a variable number of tributaries from the
medial and posterior surfaces of the upper limb.

10. The superficial lymph vessels of the upper limb
• The superficial lymph vessels from the thumb and
lateral fingers and the lateral areas of the hand and
forearm follow the cephalic vein to the infraclavicular
group of nodes.
• Those from the medial fingers and the medial areas
of the hand and forearm follow the basilic vein to the
cubital fossa. Here, some of the vessels drain into the
supratrochlear lymph node, whereas others bypass
the node and accompany the basilic vein to the axilla,
where they drain into the lateral group of axillary
nodes.
• The efferent vessels from the supratrochlear node
also drain into the lateral axillary nodes

11. • The supratrochlear lymph node lies in the superficial
fascia over the upper part of the fossa above the trochlea
of the humerus.
• It receives afferent lymph vessels from the 3rd , 4th , and
5th fingers; the medial part of the hand; and the medial
side of the forearm.
• The efferent lymph vessels pass up to the axilla and enter
the lateral axillary group of nodes.
• Infraclavicular (deltopectoral) lymph node lie beside the
cephalic vein, immediately below the clavicle in the
groove between the deltoid and pectoralis major muscles,
and receive superficial lymph vessels from the lateral side
of the hand, forearm, and arm