Anatomical variation of superficial venous arrangement in cubital fossa

Distribution of superficial veins in cubital fossa varies considerably. Superficial venous return from superior extremity follows few major superficial veins like cephalic, basilic, median cubital, antebrachial veins and their minor tributaries. Aim of present study was to find variations in arrangement of superficial veins of cubital fossa among 172 students of a medical college of West Bengal. A cross sectional study was designed to inspect patterns of superficial veins of right & left cubital fossa in 103 male and 69 female students. A tourniquet was firmly tied at midarm level and the prominent superficial veins were photographed & diagrammatized. Six patterns of superficial veins were observed mainly and the commonest pattern was M shaped distribution. Chi-Square test showed that there was no statistically significant difference in patterns of superficial veins between right and left side in both genders since p value was more than 0.05 in both cases. Only 20% of subjects had same venous pattern in both sides. The unusual but clinically important patterns include absence of communication between basilic & cephalic veins; an arched median cubital vein; absence of cephalic vein and two median cubital veins. Awareness of these uncommon patterns may be useful during venepuncture or venesection