Great saphenous vein: The larger of the two saphenous veins, the principal veins that run up the leg superficially (near the surface).

The great saphenous vein goes from the foot all the way up to the saphenous opening, an oval aperture in the broad fascia of the thigh, a fibrous membrane through which the vein passes.

The other saphenous vein, termed the small saphenous vein, runs behind the outer malleolus (the protuberance on the outside of the ankle joint), comes up the back of the leg and joins the popliteal vein in the space behind the knee (the popliteal space).

The great saphenous vein is also called the large saphenous vein.

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