J Korean Surg Soc.  2009 May;76(5):329-332. 10.4174/jkss.2009.76.5.329.

Duplicated Inferior Vena Cava Recognized during Laparotomy

• Yang PS
• Kim JS
• Hur H
• Min BS
• Kim NK

• KMID: 2096555
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4174/jkss.2009.76.5.329

Abstract

Duplicated inferior vena cava (IVC) is a congenital anomaly seen rarely in the general population. Patients with IVC variants usually do not present any symptoms and are found incidentally in many cases. However, physicians are urged to recognize the presence of such anomalies during diagnostic or invasive procedures as these variants of blood vessel systems can impose substantial implications in certain clinical situations. Subsequently, information about IVC variants may become critical if surgical injuries or predisposing conditions act as life-threatening risks to patients during medical procedures. We present a case of duplicated IVC in a 68-year-old female patient with rectal cancer where an IVC anomaly was found during surgical resection of her tumor. From our experience, we emphasize the importance of having the knowledge of IVC variations in patients undergoing invasive surgical procedures which may involve large vessels.

Keyword

Duplicated inferior vena cava; Congenital anomaly; Surgery

MeSH Terms

Aged
Blood Vessels
Female
Glycosaminoglycans
Humans
Intraoperative Complications
Laparotomy
Rectal Neoplasms
Vena Cava, Inferior
Glycosaminoglycans

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Operative finding of duplicated inferior vena cava (IVC). Right and left IVC run along both sides of the aorta. R = right IVC; L = left IVC; A = aorta.

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  Fig. 2 CT images of 68-year-old female with duplicated inferior vena cava. (A) Contrast enhanced CT shows a coronal image of duplicated inferior vena cava. Left inferior vena cava drains into the left renal vein (thick white arrow) and then joined the right inferior vena cava. (B) Contrast enhanced CT shows an axial image of duplicated inferior vena cava (thin white arrows).

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  Fig. 3 Diagrams show the development of inferior vena cava. (A) Inferior vena cava develops from three pairs of veins, posterior cardinal vein, subcardinal vein and supracardinal vein. (B) Development of normal inferior vena cava. (C) Development of duplicated inferior vena cava. *LGV = left gonadal vein.

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