Anatomical Characteristics of Duplicated Caudal Vena Cava in Cats—A Case Report

Abstract

Precise knowledge of the species-/breed-specific anatomy is important for accurate diagnosis and treatment. Existing literature has also been increasing in accordance with the growing demands of biomedical research, wherein mammals, including cats, have been used worldwide. Based on a vascular corrosion cast, complete duplication of the caudal vena cava (dCVC) was accidentally found in a 10-year-old male cat. The two separate symmetric veins corresponding to two caudal venae cavae cranially directed on both sides of the aorta; their first tributaries were the duplicated right and left deep circumflex iliac veins, and the median sacral vein ended in the right common iliac vein. At the L4 vertebra level, the left caudal vena cava crossed the aorta ventrally. It united with the right CVC immediately above the renal veins at the level of the cranial mesenteric artery (L2–L3). Embryologic knowledge is essential to understand the differences between the CVC variants in domestic mammals and the inferior vena cava in humans. However, views regarding the post-hepatic segment of the CVC during development vary considerably. Therefore, our case report also includes a summary of the CVC developmental theories and their clinical impact. We believe that this case and literature review contribute to the knowledge regarding the deep abdominal veins’ variability, concomitant pathologies, and accurate diagnosis and surgery. Additionally, the latest robust studies demonstrating the exclusive participation of the caudal cardinal veins in the CVC development are discussed.

Evolutionary Specializations in the Venous Anatomy of the Two-Toed Sloth (Choloepus didactylus): Insights from CT-scan 3D Reconstructions

“…The different portions of the caudal vena cava will be described as follows, from the most cranial portion to the most caudal portion [ 5 , 17 ]: Post-hepatic segment; Hepatic segment; Pre-hepatic segment, formed by the cranial segment to the renal veins, the renal segment, and the caudal segment to the renal veins. …”

“…The results are presented in Table 2. The different portions of the caudal vena cava will be described as follows, from the most cranial portion to the most caudal portion [5,17]:…”

“…This duplication of the caudal vena cava, also observed in monotremes and many aquatic mammals, results from the persistence of both supracardinal veins in their caudal part, with the caudal vena cava unifying only at the level of the kidneys. This configuration constitutes an anomaly in other species [ 5 , 17 ].…”

“…In the Choloepus didactylus subjects we studied, in addition to this double caudal vena cava, there is, as we have shown in the results, an absence or atrophy of the hepatic part of the caudal vena cava [ 17 ].…”