Femoral vein

Femoral vein
including femoral vein.
Drawing of the left femoral triangle - shows superior portion of the femoral vein.
Details
Source	popliteal, profunda femoris, great saphenous
Drains to	external iliac vein
Artery	femoral artery
Identifiers
Latin	vena femoralis
MeSH	A07.231.908.314
TA	A12.3.11.023
FMA	21185
Anatomical terminology []

In the human body, the femoral vein is a blood vessel that accompanies the femoral artery in the femoral sheath. It begins at the adductor canal (also known as Hunter's canal) and is a continuation of the popliteal vein. It ends at the inferior margin of the inguinal ligament, where it becomes the external iliac vein.

Several large veins drain into the femoral vein:

Occlusion of the femoral vein can be life-threatening.

The practice of delivering recreational drugs intravenously using the femoral vein is relatively common amongst injecting drug users (IDUs).

The term superficial femoral vein is recognized as a legitimate anatomic term.

However, some specialist physicians (e.g. radiologists, and orthopaedic/vascular surgeons) use the term superficial femoral vein for the distal part of the femoral vein to:

Usage of this term is discouraged by many physicians because it leads to confusion among general medical practitioners.

The femoral vein is considered a deep vein, unlike the adjective superficial suggests and has led some physicians to falsely conclude it is a superficial vein, which has resulted in patients (with deep vein thrombosis) being denied efficacious anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy.