ANATOMICAL STUDY ON VALVES OF HUMAN FACIAL VEINS

The valves of the facial veins of 39 sides from 20 cadavers, aged 53-9 5 years, were investigated. Anatomical study of the valves is importan t, because the facial veins can be used for microvascular anastomosis in reconstruction in the head and neck. The present study confirmed th at values existed in the human facial, veins, and were most frequently observed around the lower border of the mandible. When valves were cl assified into 5 types according to the morphology of the lobules, bicu spid valves were the most common (93.5%), followed by traced valves (4 .1%), valve preparation (1.3%), and unicuspid valves (0.9%). However, no tricuspid, vales were observed, Valves appeared most often (82.9%) at confluences with the facial veins. The length of vales in the trunk of the facial veins was twice the size of the inner diameter of the v essels in 78.3% of the cases. Therefore, when valves were observed at the anastomosis sites, the present results indicated that these valves could be avoided by resecting a length of about twice the inner diame ter.