ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the development of the venous system, followed by a description of the anatomy of the veins of the lower limb and pelvis. It discusses relevant venous anatomy of the trunk and the upper limbs. The goal of the American Venous Forum is to entice venous specialists around the world to adopt the new terminology of leg veins in order to improve the safety and outcomes of treatments for venous disease and to permit international collaboration and communication among scientists who are interested in clinical venous research. The venous system first appears in the trunk as bilaterally symmetrical vessels, with the left vessels regressing and the right vessels dominating as the superior and inferior vena cavae. The veins of the lower extremity are composed of the superficial, the deep, and the perforating veins (PVs). PVs connect the superficial to the deep venous system.
