Absence of the entire inferior vena cava caused acute abdominal symptoms, and the patient, a twenty-year-old man, was operated on on an emergency ba sis. Subsequent ascending venography, abdominal computed tomographic scan, intraarterial digital subtraction angiography, and intraosseous phlebography revealed full inferior vena cava and iliac venous system agenesis, up to and above the level of the hepatic veins, venous return from the lower limbs and the abdominal viscera being through a series of multiple collateral channels and the azygos-hemiazygos system.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Buurman R., Buecheler E.: Die Missbildungen der unteren Hohl vene. Fortschr Röntgenstr (RÖFO)125:337-345, 1976.
2.
Seib GA: The azygos system of veins in American Whites and American Negroes, including observations on the inferior caval venous system. Am J Phys Anthropol19:39-169, 1934.
3.
Alexander ES , Clark RA, Gross BH, et al: CT of congenital anomalies of the inferior vena cava. ComputRadiol6:219-226, 1982.
4.
Anderson RC, Adams P.Jr, Burke B.: Anomalous inferior vena cava with azygos continuation (infrahepatic interruption of the inferior vena cava). J Pediatr59:370-383, 1961.
5.
Campbell M., Deuchar DC: Absent inferior vena cava, symmetrical liver, splenic agenesis, and situs inversus, and their embryology. Br Heart J29:268-275, 1967.
6.
Knudtzon J., Gudmundsen TE, Svane S.: Congenital absence of the inferior vena cava. Acta Chir Scand152:541-546, 1986.
7.
Beedie RJ, Yeo W., Morcos SK: Congenital absence of the intrahepatic segment of the inferior vena cava with azygos continuation presenting as a mediastinal mass. Postgrad Med J65:253-255, 1989.
8.
Goss CM: The Veins. In: Gray's Anatomy, ed. 29, ed. by Goss CM.Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1973, pp 673-729.
9.
Angelman H., Hall EG, Spencer R.: The syndrome of obstruction of inferior vena cava in childhood. Br Med J3:752-755, 1950.
10.
Schmidt GP, Lob M.: " Fehlen" einer unteren hohlvene bei gleichzeitigem fehlen der linken niere bei einem menschlichen foeten. Anat Anz137:408-416, 1975.
11.
Van Der Horst RL, Hastreiter AR: Congenital interruption of the inferior vena cava. Chest80:638-640, 1981.
12.
Brem AS, O'Shea PA, Wesselhoeft CA: Absence of the inferior vena cava associated with an atrophic right kidney and hypertension. J Urol126:539-541, 1981.
13.
Milner LB, Marchan R.: Complete absence of the inferior vena cava presenting as a paraspinous mass . Thorax35:798-800, 1980.
14.
Mosli HA, Papoff WJ, Moors DE: Unusual clinical presentation of a patient with absent inferior vena cava . J Urol134:969-971, 1985.
15.
Swaimann KF , Austrian S., Raiale RB: Congenital atresia of the inferior vena cava, common iliac veins, and left innominate vein. Am J Dis Child96:81-86, 1958.
Dwight T.: Absence of the inferior vena cava below the diaphragm. J Anat Physiol35:7, 1901.
18.
Alex JF, Girodet B., Straaten LV, et al: La continuation azygos la veine cave inferieure agenesique. Rev Fr Mal Resp10:277-284, 1982.
19.
Boecken G.: Temporaere, belastungsabhangige paraesthesien bei agenesie der vena cava inferior . Dtsch Med Wochenschr113:1879-1881, 1988 .
20.
Jaschke W., Kempmann G., van Kaick G.: Computer tomographischer nachweis der sogenannten azygos kontinuation bei fehlendem hepatischen segment der unteren hohlvene. 3 beobachtungen. Fortschr Röntgenstr (RÖFO)135:316-320, 1981.
21.
Kullnig P., Lammer J., Ranner G., et al: Agenesie der vena cava inferior. Roentgenblatter39:350-353, 1986.
22.
Rettori R., Larroque P., Benzimra JC: Identification clinique et paraclinique par les differentes techniques d'imagerie des anomalies congenitales de la veine cave inferieure (a propos de 4 cas) . J Mal Vasc14:191-201, 1989.
23.
Dowing DF: Absence of the inferior vena cava. Pediatr12:675-680, 1953.
24.
Heeler RM, Dorst JP, James AE Jr, et al: A useful sign in the recognition of azygos continuation of the inferior vena cava. Radiol101:519-522, 1971.
25.
Stauffer HM, Labree J., Adams F.: The normally situated arch of the azygos vein: Its roentgenologic identification and catheterization. Am J Roentgenol66:353-358, 1951.
26.
Servelle M., Babillot J.: Les malformations des veines profondes dans le syndrome de klippel et Trenaunay . Phlebologie33:31-36, 1980.
27.
Hawass ND, Kolawole TM, Badawi MG: Concomitant pulmonary arteriovenous and inferior vena cava malformations. A case report. Eur J Radiol8:102-105, 1988.
28.
Effler DB, Greer AE, Sistres EC: Anomaly of the vena cava inferior. Report of a fatality after ligation . JAMA146:1321-1322, 1951 .
29.
Barack BM: Persistence of the cardinal veins and thrombosis: CT demonstration . J Comp Assoc Tomograph10:327-328, 1986.
30.
Leu JA, Leu JH, Pouliadis G.: Bein-beckenvenenthrombose bei agenesie der vena cava inferior. Phlebologie und Proktologie14:119-120, 1985.
31.
Manouvrier J., Ducloux G., Millaire A., et al: L'angenesie congenitale de la veine cava inferieure. A propos d'un cas revele par une phlebite ilio-femorale. Apport de l'echographie et de la tomodinsitometrie . J Mal Vasc10:235-239, 1985.
