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A case of bilateral superior vena cava with variations in the azygos system and in the heart
1Department of Anatomy, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, UNICAMP, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, SP, Brazil.
Insights
A rare case of bilateral superior vena cava was identified in an adult cadaver. This anatomical variation included a persistent left superior vena cava and notable differences in ventricular wall structure.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Cardiovascular System
- Congenital Variations
Background:
- The superior vena cava (SVC) is a major vein that returns deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the heart.
- Anatomical variations of the SVC, though uncommon, can have clinical implications.
- Bilateral SVC, where both left and right SVC persist, is a rare congenital anomaly.
Abstract:
A case of bilateral superior vena cava is described in an adult cadaver of undetermined sex and age. The persistent left superior vena cava had a larger diameter approximately equal to that of the right superior vena cava ending in a wide caliber coronary sinus. Variations in the azygos system were also found. The ventricles show thin walls with trabeculae carneae forming one to five strata in the left ventricle, and from one to three strata in the right ventricle.