The saphenous vein belongs to which venous system?

• A. Superficial venous system
• B. Deep venous system
• C. Both superficial and deep
• D. None of the above

Answer: (A)

Saphenous veins are part of the superficial venous system of the lower limb. They run in the subcutaneous tissue just beneath the skin, rather than inside the muscles, and their major role is draining the skin and subcutaneous tissues. They do connect with the deep venous system through perforating veins, but their defining location and course place them in the superficial system. Therefore, the best answer is that they belong to the superficial venous system. The deep venous system consists of veins like the femoral, popliteal, tibial, and peroneal veins, which lie deep within the muscles, so the saphenous veins are not their deep counterparts.