- Arterial and venous drainage of the upper limb:
- Superficial and deep venous systems drain into the axillary vein.
- The brachial artery continues from the axillary artery and terminates as the radial and ulnar arteries.
Superficial Venous Drainage
- Two major superficial veins arise from the dorsal venous arch: preaxial cephalic vein and postaxial basilic vein, connected in front of the elbow by the median cubital vein.
Differences between cephalic and basilic veins
Point
Border
- Cephalic vein
- Preaxial (radial side)
- Basilic vein
- Postaxial (ulnar side)
Length vs drainage
- Cephalic vein
- Longer, drains less efficiently
- Basilic vein
- Shorter, drains more efficiently
Course
- Cephalic vein
- Snuff box, radial forearm, lateral border of biceps, deltopectoral groove
- Basilic vein
- Medial forearm, medial border of biceps, pierces deep fascia mid-arm
Termination
- Cephalic vein
- Axillary vein, via clavipectoral fascia
- Basilic vein
- Axillary vein, at lower border of teres major
Accompanying cutaneous nerve
- Cephalic vein
- Lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm
- Basilic vein
- Medial cutaneous nerve of forearm
Lower-limb equivalent
- Cephalic vein
- Great saphenous vein
- Basilic vein
- Short saphenous vein