A Rare Variation of Profunda Femoris Vein Directly Communicating with Popliteal Vein

During dissection of the posterior compartment of the thigh of a female formalin-fixed cadaver, a variation of profunda femoris vein directly communicating with the popliteal vein was encountered on the right side. The profunda femoris vein was 18 cm long with a diameter of 0.5 cm. Such a direct communication between the profunda femoris vein and popliteal vein is known to be rare.
The site of the thrombosis that develops in the lower limbs is of importance in terms of diagnosis and treatment. Proximal or distal placement of such a thrombosis leads to diversity of diagnosis and treatment. Thus variations related with the veins of the lower limb should be well known. Furthermore awareness of such variations may be important to avoid unexpected complications during surgery of this region.