Radial veins (lat. vena radialis) are a paired vein that carries venous blood from the forearm to the shoulder.
The radial veins are a branch of the brachial vein, and their function is to drain blood from the muscles and skin of the forearm and hand into the superior vena cava. They begin at the level of the elbow as a continuation of the brachial vein and pass along the inner surface of the forearm, where they form a network of small branches that flow into the brachial veins. At the level of the elbow, the radial veins join the brachial vein to form the radial vein, which continues down the forearm and into the hand.
In addition, the radial veins also play an important role in maintaining normal blood circulation in the arm, as they help reduce the pressure in the veins of the forearm and prevent the formation of blood clots.
With pathology, the radial vein can be damaged or blocked, which can lead to disruption of the outflow of blood from the arm. This may be due to injury, infection, tumors and other diseases. In such cases, the radial veins can become a source of infection or blood clots, which can cause serious complications such as pulmonary embolism, sepsis and others.