Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Image Acquisition Method for the Sonographic Assessment of the Inferior Vena Cava
Published on: January 13, 2023
Prenatal diagnosis and outcome of isolated interrupted inferior vena cava
Moshe Bronshtein1, Nizar Khatib, Zeev Blumenfeld
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RAMBAM Health Care Campus and Al-Kol Ultrasound Institute, The Rappaport Institute and the Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
Objective:
Report our experience in prenatal diagnosis of 11 cases of interrupted inferior vena cava, summarize the clinical significance and implications of this variant.
Study Design:
Retrospective analysis of 11 fetuses diagnosed with interrupted inferior vena cava, of 55,457 pregnant women who underwent extensive fetal anomaly scan during 20 years.
Results:
Eight of the 11 fetuses with interrupted inferior vena cava had a completely normal outcome. One had also normal outcome but abnormal function of the spleen. One had multiple abnormalities, and 1 case was lost to follow up.
Conclusion:
The incidence of IIVC is 1:5000. In the vast majority (90%) of the cases, it is an isolated variant not associated with isomerism or fetal anomalies. In all the cases of isolated interrupted inferior vena cava, the outcome is favorable. In 10% of isolated interrupted inferior vena cava, abnormal function of the spleen may be detected after delivery, necessitating antipneumococcal vaccination.
Related Concept Videos
Fetal Circulation
Two umbilical arteries transport blood from the fetus to the placenta. At the placenta, the blood absorbs oxygen and nutrients while simultaneously eliminating waste products. This oxygen-enriched and nutrient-rich blood then returns to the fetus through one...
Venous Thrombosis II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Veins of the Abdomen and Pelvis
The inferior vena cava is fed by numerous smaller veins. The lumbar veins, for instance, drain the posterior abdominal wall, emptying both directly into the inferior vena cava and into the...
Mitral Valve Prolapse III: Nursing Management
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care
Mitral Stenosis II: Clinical features and Diagnostic Tests