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Perforating veins

Perforating veins are blood vessels in the legs that connect the superficial leg veins just under the skin to the deep leg veins under the muscles. Perforating veins are sometimes called communicating veins.

Damage or disease in the perforating vein system can lead to varicose veins, which are twisted, enlarged veins that can occur anywhere a vein is close to skin, but which occur most often in the legs.

Author Jeannette Curtis
Author Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Editor Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Editor Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor Pat Truman
Primary Medical Reviewer Patrice Burgess, MD
- Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer Adam Husney, MD
- Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer Kathleen Romito, MD
- Family Medicine
Last Updated May 25, 2007

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: May 25, 2007
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