The incidence and sites of medial thigh communicating veins: a phlebographic study.

One hundred saphenograms in 65 patients were reviewed to assess the number and distribution of communicating veins on the medial aspect of the thigh. Sixty-one per cent of the legs had one or more communicating veins in the middle third of the thigh (Hunter's canal), 27% were in the lower third and 1% in the upper third. Eleven per cent of the legs investigated had no evidence of communicating veins. The number of communicating veins ranged from none to three. Because of the range in the number and position of the communicating veins, which are potential sites of venous incompetence, their phelebographic demonstration by varicography is recommended in legs with recurrent varicose veins.