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Femoral veins can be used for central venous access
The femoral vein can be used as a central line or central venous access site, especially in emergency situations. However, femoral vein cannulation has higher complication rates.
What is the femoral vein used for?
Because the femoral vein is larger, it may be used in a few important procedures in the hospital to treat problems such as:
- Venous sampling: Used to access vein tissue to test and see if there are any hormonal conditions or diseases, such as Cushing's syndrome, aldosteronism (a high blood pressure), and hyperthyroidism.
- Catheterization: Used to reach the right atrium of the heart, where a tiny tube is threaded through it to assess blood pressure and oxygen levels. Catheterization is often used to detect and treat certain cardiovascular problems, such as heart failure and coronary artery disease.
What is the femoral vein?
The femoral vein is found deep inside the thigh muscle. It is a direct continuation of the popliteal vein, which is located directly near the knee joint. The vein ascends to the inguinal area, where it enters the abdomen as the external iliac vein after passing posterior to the inguinal ligament as the internal iliac vein.
The femoral vein transports blood from the lower extremities to the heart on its return journey. This is a paired artery, which means it is found in both legs, and is the primary deep vein of the thigh. It is therefore crucial for the proper function of the lower limbs and feet.
The femoral vein is made up of three layers of cells:
- Tunica intima: Innermost lining, which is made up of squamous epithelium and connective tissues.
- Tunica media: Thick middle layer, which is made up of smooth muscle.
- Tunica extrema: Outermost layer, which is made up of different amounts of elastic and rigid fibers.
Blood from the two tibial veins in the lower leg is gathered and carried by the popliteal vein, which continues into the femoral vein in the thigh and then into the common femoral vein in the upper thigh through the popliteal vein. The external iliac vein, which is in the pelvis, carries blood to the heart.
Where is the femoral vein located?
The femoral vein is located medially to the femoral artery and is connected to it via a blood vessel. The vein flows beneath the artery as the distance between the inguinal ligament and the artery increases.
The femoral vein diameter in adults ranges from about 12-14 mm and gets larger as it moves up the thigh. It starts at the adductor hiatus of the adductor magnus muscle. It is the proximal continuation of the popliteal vein, which goes into the anterior side of the thigh from there. It goes through the adductor canal (sub sartorial canal or Hunter's canal) and into the area called femoral triangle, along with the femoral artery.
The femoral vein then goes through the femoral sheath, just outside of the femoral canal. Outside of the inguinal ligament, it becomes the external iliac vein. This vein drains into the common iliac vein and then into the inferior vena cava, which is where the blood goes to die.
What are the functions of the femoral vein?
Veins return deoxygenated blood (blood that has been deprived of oxygen after being absorbed by the cells) to the right side of the heart for circulation. The right side of the heart then transports this blood to the lungs, where it is oxygenated and then returned to the body.
Afterward, the oxygenated blood goes to the left side of the heart, where the oxygenated blood is forced out via the left side of the heart. The femoral vein, which is the principal deep vein of the thigh, is responsible for the drainage of the blood from the lower leg.
After joining with the popliteal vein, the femoral vein transports blood from various areas of the foot and lower leg, including the back. It removes deoxygenated blood from the muscles of the thigh as it travels through the body.
