Background: The term Anterior Accessory of the Great Saphenous Vein suggest this is a branch tributary vein despite this vessel's anatomic features of a truncal vein. A multisocietal group suggested to designate this the Anterior Saphenous Vein (ASV). This study was aimed to evaluate its ultrasound anatomy in normal and varicose limbs.
Methods: The clinical anatomy of the ASV was evaluated by narrative review of the literature. Additionally, the course of the ASV was evaluated in 62 limbs with no evidence of venous disease and 62 limbs with varicosities.
Results: The ASV length, patterns of origin and termination are reported in both normal and patients with varicose veins. Discussion of the patterns is supported by the narrative review of the literature.
Conclusions: The ASV must be considered a truncal vein and its treatment modalities should be the same that for the great and small saphenous veins rather than a tributary vein.
Keywords: Anterior saphenous vein; anterior accessory saphenous vein; clinical anatomy; great saphenous vein; saphenous compartment; varicose vein.