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Updated: May 26, 2026
Image Acquisition Method for the Sonographic Assessment of the Inferior Vena Cava
Published on: January 13, 2023
Variations of the iliolumbar and ascending lumbar veins
Sombat Kunakornsawat1, Thavat Prasartritha, Patipan Korbsook
1Department of Medical Services, Center of Excellence in Orthopedics, Lerdsin General Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
Study Design:
A cadaveric retrospective study.
Objective:
To verify the variation of tributaries draining into the iliac system at the lumbosacral junction.
Summary Of Background Data:
Special attention to vascular anatomy at the great venous bifurcation during anterior lumbar surgery is needed as more tributaries may increase the rate of operative bleeding. Although important, there have been very few detailed anatomic studies about variations of the ascending and iliolumbar veins. The latter tributary forms a horizontal system draining blood into the iliac vein.
Methods:
A total of 116 formaldehyde-preserved specimens (61 male and 55 female) were studied. All specimens were dissected and simply classified into patterns and subpatterns according to the similar or different tributaries and their entry points.
Results:
There were 2 patterns of tributaries: symmetric and asymmetric. More variants were found in the asymmetric group. Each pattern comprising 58 specimens was further classified into 3 subpatterns according to their main tributary trunks. One to 3 tributaries may enter into any trunk of the iliac vein. The most common trunk was the common iliac vein seen in 75.9% of specimens. Draining into the external and internal veins was found in 21.6% and 2.6% of specimens, respectively. One common drainage of the ascending and iliolumbar veins on 1 or both sides was found in 0.9% and > 50% of specimens, respectively (right, 51.7%; left, 56%), whereas 2 or more tributaries were seen in < 50% of specimens (right, 47.4%; left, 43.1%). There was no significant statistical difference among sexes and body sides.
Conclusions:
Draining into the iliac system has a high frequency of variations through a number of tributaries and their entry points. The iliolumbar vein will mainly drain into the common iliac vein with frequently 2 or 3 tributaries, whereas drainage into the external iliac or the internal vein is less often observed.
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