An abnormal pattern of blood vessels in the retroperitoneal space with a duplicated inferior vena cava in an adult: a case report

Abstract

During dissection a duplicated inferior vena cava (IVC) was found in an 82 year-old male. The IVCs were connected with each other by two anastomoses. The course of the other retroperitoneal veins also exhibited some alterations: Just below the diaphragm the azygos and the right ascending lumbar v. ran into the right IVC separately; the hemiazygos and the left ascending lumbar vv. joined before entering the left IVC. The testicular vv. ended normally on the right side in the right IVC, on the left side in the left renal vein. The embryologic basis of the pattern of these vessels is discussed and a short overview of the literature given. In the present case there were also some alterations in the course of the renal and testicular aa.

Duplication of the inferior vena cava: anatomy, embryology and classification proposal

“…Type I or major duplication, as in our case, comprises two bilaterally symmetrical and approximately of the same caliber trunks and a preaortic trunk of the same calider. In this type, the left and the right IVCs are just near the lateral border of the aorta (Senecail et al 1987;Wagner and Bogush 1993). Type II or minor type comprises two bilaterally symmetrical and approximately of the same caliber trunks, but is smaller in comparison to the preaortic trunk.…”

“…Therefore, we defined our case as complete bilateral duplication of the IVC because it comprised both the renal and the infrarenal segment of the IVC. We further classified the complete bilateral duplication according to the review of the literature (Waterston 1913;Rischbieth 1914;Senecail et al 1987;Lewis 1992;Wagner and Bogush 1993;Itoh et al 2001;Sórócó et al 2001;Tohno et al 2006;Xue et al 2006) into three types (Fig. 3).…”

An extremely rare complete bilateral duplication of inferior vena cava in a male cadaver: anatomy, embryology and clinical relevance

“…This variation was defined by Natsis et al [8] as "complete bilateral duplication of IVC" because it comprised both renal and infrarenal segments of IVC. They further subdivided it into three types; major (type I) with two bilateral symmetrical trunks and a preaortic trunk of the same diameter [14,15], minor (type II) with two bilateral symmetrical trunks but smaller in diameter in comparison to the preaortic trunk [16,17], and asymmetrical (type III) with three trunks asymmetric in size [18,19]. The term "incomplete bilateral duplication" was referred to cases where the left IVC is smaller in diameter and empties into the left renal vein [20].…”