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A case of left inferior vena cava
1Department of Anatomy, Gifu University School of Medicine, 40 Tsukasa-machi, Gifu 500-8705, Japan.
Insights
A rare anatomical variation, a left inferior vena cava (IVC), was identified in a cadaver. This case highlights the importance of recognizing such congenital anomalies in medical practice.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Embryology
- Medical Case Reports
Background:
- The inferior vena cava (IVC) is a major vein responsible for returning deoxygenated blood from the lower and middle body into the right atrium of the heart.
- Congenital anomalies of the IVC, though rare, can have significant clinical implications.
- Understanding these variations is crucial for accurate anatomical knowledge and surgical planning.
Observation:
- A unique case of a left-sided inferior vena cava (IVC) was discovered in a 72-year-old male cadaver.
- The anomaly involved the confluence of the left and right common iliac veins forming a left IVC that ascended along the left side of the abdominal aorta.
- The left IVC received the left renal vein and subsequently crossed the abdominal aorta to receive two right renal veins before continuing superiorly.
Findings:
- This case aligns with Type C of the McClure and Butler classification and Type 1 of the Yoshida et al. classification for IVC anomalies.
- The embryological basis is attributed to the failure of the right supracardinal vein and the persistence of the left supracardinal vein during development.
- The caliber of the identified left IVC varied from 15 mm to 25 mm as it received venous tributaries.
Implications:
- Recognition of a left IVC is vital for surgeons, particularly in abdominal, pelvic, and cardiothoracic procedures, to prevent inadvertent injury.
- This anatomical variation can influence the interpretation of diagnostic imaging, such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Further study of IVC anomalies contributes to a comprehensive understanding of cardiovascular embryology and its clinical relevance.
Abstract:
A case of left inferior vena cava (IVC) was found in a 72-year-old male cadaver during student dissection practice in 1999 at Gifu University School of Medicine. It was formed by junction of the left and right common iliac veins at the lower left corner of the 5th lumbar vertebra. This IVC (15-mm caliber) ascended 82 mm along the left side of the abdominal aorta dorsally to the ureter. Receiving the left renal vein, it became 21 mm in caliber and ran obliquely upward for 43 mm across the abdominal aorta. As soon as it received two right renal veins at the level of the 2nd lumbar vertebra, the IVC (25-mm caliber) turned directly above. The present case belongs to Type C of the classification of McClure and Butler (1925), which is based on the combinations of the left and right IVCs, and on their location relative to the ureters. The present case also belongs to Type 1 of the classification of Yoshida et al. (1981). We consider that left IVC in the present case is mainly caused by disappearance of the right supracardinal vein and persistence of the left one during the embryological development of the IVC.