There are four superficial veins in the forearm:

1. The Median vein which commences on the dorsal aspect of the base of the thumb. It turns round the radial border of the wrist, and, passing up the middle of the forearm, terminates by dividing into the median cephalic and median basilic veins.

Tributaries

(1) Deep Median vein, a short vessel which connects the deep and superficial veins at the elbow-joint. (2) Tributaries from the adjacent tissues.

2. The Radial vein commences in the dorsal venous plexus of the hand and runs up the outer border of the forearm, receiving tributaries from the adjacent tissues. It ends at the outer side of the elbow by joining the median cephalic vein to form the cephalic vein.

3. The Anterior Ulnar vein commences at the base of the little finger, and, passing up the ulnar side of the anterior surface of the forearm, ends in the basilic vein.

4. The Posterior Ulnar vein (usually considerably larger than the anterior) commences in the dorsal venous plexus, and ascends along the dorsal side of the ulnar aspect of the forearm. It terminates by joining the median basilic vein to form the basilic vein.

The median cephalic and median basilic veins are formed by the division of the median vein; they are both short vessels.

The median cephalic vein passes upwards and outwards, and opposite the external condyle of the humerus joins the radial vein to form the cephalic vein. The median basilic vein similarly forms the basilic vein opposite the internal condyle by joining with the anterior and posterior ulnar veins.

The upper arm contains only two large veins.

1. The Basilic vein commences opposite the inner side of the bend of the elbow, and passing upwards on the inner side of biceps to the middle of the arm it pierces the deep fascia, and opposite the lower border of teres major becomes the axillary vein.

2. The Cephalic vein commences at the outer side of the bend of the elbow and ascends on the outer side of biceps. It then pierces the deep fascia, and passing between the adjacent borders of the deltoid and pectoralis major muscles, it pierces the costo-coracoid membrane and enters the third part of the axillary vein.