VABC Vascular Anatomy 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary venous drainage pathway from the upper extremity back to the heart in order?
- Radial → brachial → subclavian → SVC
- Cephalic → axillary → subclavian → brachiocephalic → SVC
- Basilic → brachial → axillary → subclavian → brachiocephalic → SVC (Correct answer)
- Ulnar → basilic → axillary → brachiocephalic → SVC
Correct answer: Basilic → brachial → axillary → subclavian → brachiocephalic → SVC
The basilic vein drains into the brachial vein, which joins the axillary vein, then the subclavian vein, then the brachiocephalic vein, and finally the superior vena cava.
Question 2: Which anatomical triangle contains the femoral artery, vein, and nerve, and is used as a landmark for femoral vascular access?
- Scarpa's triangle (femoral triangle) (Correct answer)
- Adductor (subsartorial) canal
- Petit's triangle
- Hesselbach's triangle
Correct answer: Scarpa's triangle (femoral triangle)
The femoral triangle (Scarpa's triangle) is bounded by the inguinal ligament, sartorius, and adductor longus muscles and contains the femoral nerve, artery, and vein.
Question 3: The great saphenous vein originates at the medial aspect of the foot and terminates by draining into which vessel?
- Popliteal vein
- External iliac vein
- Common femoral vein (Correct answer)
- Profunda femoris vein
Correct answer: Common femoral vein
The great saphenous vein, the longest vein in the body, originates at the foot and terminates by draining into the common femoral vein at the saphenofemoral junction.
Question 4: Which segment of the subclavian vein is most prone to pinch-off syndrome when used for long-term central venous access?
- Lateral third near the axillary junction
- Middle third beneath the clavicle (Correct answer)
- Medial third near the brachiocephalic junction
- Junction with the internal jugular vein
Correct answer: Middle third beneath the clavicle
Pinch-off syndrome occurs when the catheter is compressed between the clavicle and first rib in the middle third of the subclavian vein, causing intermittent or permanent occlusion.
Question 5: In the neck, the internal jugular vein (IJV) lies within which fascial compartment?
- Pretracheal fascia
- Prevertebral fascia
- Carotid sheath (Correct answer)
- Investing layer of deep cervical fascia
Correct answer: Carotid sheath
The internal jugular vein is enclosed within the carotid sheath along with the common carotid artery and vagus nerve.
Question 6: When accessing the basilic vein via a PICC insertion, the catheter must traverse which vein before reaching the subclavian vein?
- Cephalic vein
- Median cubital vein
- Axillary vein (Correct answer)
- Brachial vein
Correct answer: Axillary vein
From the basilic vein, a PICC catheter passes through the axillary vein before entering the subclavian vein on its way to the superior vena cava.
Question 7: The vertebral veins drain into which central venous structure?
- External jugular vein
- Brachiocephalic vein (Correct answer)
- Subclavian vein
- Internal jugular vein
Correct answer: Brachiocephalic vein
The vertebral veins descend through the transverse foramina of the cervical vertebrae and drain into the brachiocephalic veins bilaterally.
VABC Vascular Anatomy 4
What is the primary venous drainage pathway from the upper extremity back to the heart in order?