Duplicated inferior vena cava ; Congenital anomaly ; Surgery
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.