J Korean Soc Ultrasound Med.  2009 Sep;28(3):189-195.

The Incidence of Giacomini Vein and Its Association with Lower Extremity venous Insufficiency: An Ultrasonographic Study

• Park S
• Kwon SH
• Oh JH
• Ryu KN
• Ahn HJ
• Park HC

Abstract

PURPOSE
We wanted to evaluate the incidence of Giacomini vein and its association with lower extremity venous insufficiency by performing US.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From September 2006 to July 2007, 173 patients (58 males and 115 females, mean age: 52.7 years, age range: 22-72 years) who had been diagnosed with unilateral/bilateral varicose veins or telangiectasias were evaluated with duplex Doppler ultrasonography. The presence of Giacomini vein, superficial/deep vein reflux, the anatomical sites of the venous reflux and the abnormal perforating veins was investigated in 346 legs.
RESULTS
Giacomini veins were found in 33 limbs (9.5%) of 21 patients (12.1%). Bilateral Giacomini veins were found in 12 patients. Of the 33 limbs that had Giacomini veins, 20 limbs had great saphenous vein (GSV) reflux and 4 limbs had small saphenous vein (SSV) reflux. The patients with Giacomini veins were classified into two groups according to the presence of Giacomini vein. There was no significant difference of the GSV reflux (p = 0.155), the SSV reflux (p = 0.760) and the mean velocity of the GSV reflux or the SSV reflux (p = 0.685, p = 0.431, respectively) between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicated that Giacomini vein is not associated with either GSV or SSV reflux, and this is contrary to conventional belief.

Keyword

Giacomini vein; Ultrasonography; Reflux; Varicose vein; Great saphenous vein; Small saphenous vein

MeSH Terms

Extremities
Female
Humans
Incidence
Lower Extremity
Male
Saphenous Vein
Telangiectasis
Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex
Varicose Veins
Veins
Venous Insufficiency