May-Thurner syndrome: a previously unreported variant

Irritation of the left common iliac vein by the overlying right common iliac artery may result in intraluminal obstruction and symptomatic venous occlusion of the left lower extremity. We recently treated a 39-year-old patient with such an obstruction of the left common iliac vein as a result of compression by the left internal iliac artery. This case stresses the need to consider etiologies of external venous obstruction of the left lower extremity other than the commonly reported right common iliac artery when planning surgical intervention.