ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The cephalic vein is one of the most distinguished superficial veins of the upper limb. Its clinical value lies in venous access. There is little known about the variation of its formation in relation to the anatomical snuffbox. Hence, anatomical variants in the origin of the cephalic vein are important in clinical practice. Subsequently, this study was designed to examine the variation of the cephalic vein formation in relation to the anatomical snuffbox. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 438 subjects (722 hands), was prepared to study the cephalic vein among Jordanian students and staff of one of the major governmental Medical College in Jordan, by using infrared illumination system. The obtained data was analysed according to; gender, sidedness, and handedness. RESULTS: Four sites for the formation of the cephalic vein in relation to the anatomical snuffbox were found. There was a significant relation between gender and sidedness, and the sites of formation of the cephalic vein (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.048, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: For the first time this study identified different sites for the formation of the cephalic vein in relation to the anatomical snuffbox. However, regardless of its sites of formation, the cephalic vein was running in 98% of the examined hands in the anatomical snuffbox.
