Anatomical study of the valves of the superficial veins of the forearm.

The valves of the cephalic, basilic and median cubital veins were investigated in the superficial veins of the left forearm in 9 cadavers, aged 25-95. The radial forearm flaps involving these veins are of special clinicoanatomical importance. The following results were obtained: (1) Valves were most frequently evident at Site G of the cephalic vein. No valves were present in Section A-B, (2) type B valves were located at confluences, junctions and branches and were more frequent (54.7%) than Type A (45.3%) located in the straight trunks of superficial forearm veins, (3) Type 2 valves accounted for most (82.3%), and these were followed by Type 1 and Type 4b (5.9%), Type 4a (4.4%) and Type 3 (1.5%).