Anatomic study of the venous drainage architecture of the forearm skin and subcutaneous tissue.

The venous anatomy of the forearm skin was examined radiographically in 15 fresh cadavers that had been injected systemically with a lead oxide-gelatin mixture. In 10 specimens, the forearm skin was divided into the skin and superficial adipofascial layer and the deep adipofascial layer. Five specimens were radiographed stereoscopically. Despite the thinness of the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the forearm, the cutaneous vein was seen three-dimensionally. Judging from the architecture and direction of the venous valves, most of the venous blood that had perfused the dermis was believed to: (1) pool in a venous network located in the superficial zone of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, (2) flow chiefly in the accessory cephalic and median antebrachial veins, and (3) enter the cephalic and basilic veins near the antecubital fossa. Venae comitantes of the septocutaneous and musculocutaneous perforators of the radial or ulnar arteries were thought to be only bypasses to the deep vein.