inferior vena cava

Information about inferior vena cava

Vein:
Anterior (frontal) view of the opened heart. White arrows indicate normal blood flow.
Latinvena cava inferior
subject #173 677
Sourcecommon iliac vein
lumbar veins
testicular vein
renal vein
suprarenal vein
hepatic vein
Drains toheart
MeSH Vena+Cava,+Inferior
The inferior vena cava (or IVC) is the large vein that carries de-oxygenated blood from the lower half of the body into the heart.

It is posterior to the abdominal cavity and runs along side of the vertebral column on its right side (i.e. it is a retroperitoneal structure). It enters the right atrium at the lower right, back side of the heart.

Drainage patterns

The IVC is formed by the joining of the left and right common iliac veins and brings blood into the right atrium of the heart. It also anastomoses with the azygos vein system (which runs on the right side of the vertebral column) and the venous plexuses next to the spinal cord.

Because the IVC is not centrally located, there are some asymmetries in drainage patterns. The gonadal veins and suprarenal veins drain into the IVC on the right side, but into the renal vein on the left side, which in turn drains into the IVC.

By contrast, all the lumbar veins and hepatic veins usually drain directly into the IVC.

Note that the vein that carries de-oxygenated blood from the upper half of the body is the superior vena cava.

Pathologies associated with the IVC

Health problems attributed to the IVC are most often associated with it being compressed (ruptures are rare because it has a low intraluminal pressure). Typical sources of external pressure are an enlarged aorta (abdominal aortic aneurysm), the gravid uterus (aortocaval compression syndrome) and abdominal maligancies, such as colorectal cancer, renal cell carcinoma and ovarian cancer. Since the inferior vena cava is primarily a right-sided structure, unconscious pregnant females should be turned on to their left side (the recovery position), to relieve pressure on it and facilitate venous return. In rare cases, straining associated with defecation can lead to restricted blood flow through the IVC and result in syncope (fainting).[1]

Occlusion of the IVC is rare, but considered life-threatening and is an emergency. It is associated with deep vein thrombosis, IVC filters, liver transplantation and instrumentation (e.g. catheter in the femoral vein).[2]

Embryology

In the embryo, the IVC and right atrium are separated by the Eustachian valve, also known in Latin as the valvula venae cavae inferiore (valve of the inferior vena cava). In the adult, this structure typically has totally regressed or remains as a small endocardial fold.[3]

Additional images


Diagram showing completion of development of the parietal veins.

Base and diaphragmatic surface of heart.

The arch of the aorta, and its branches.

Superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, azygos vein and their tributaries.

The position and relation of the esophagus in the cervical region and in the posterior mediastinum. Seen from behind.

Transverse section of human embryo eight and a half to nine weeks old.

Liver and gallbladder


See also

References

1. ^ Brophy CM, Evans L, Sumpio BE. Defecation syncope secondary to functional inferior vena caval obstruction during a Valsalva maneuver. Ann Vasc Surg. 1993 Jul;7(4):374-7. PMID 8268080.
2. ^ Geehan DM, Inferior Vena Caval Thrombosis, emedicine.com, URL: [1] Accessed: August 3, 2005.
3. ^ Yavuz T, Nazli C, Kinay O, Kutsal A. Giant eustachian valve with echocardiographic appearance of divided right atrium. Tex Heart Inst J. 2002;29(4):336-8. PMID 12484622 Full Text.

External links


Veins [ edit]
superficial - deep - venae comitantes - venous sinuses - pulmonary | (Gray's s164-Gray's s165) heart: coronary sinus - great cardiac - left marginal - small cardiac - right marginal - middle cardiac - posterior of the left ventricle - oblique of the left atrium - anterior cardiac | (Gray's s166) exterior of the head and face: frontal - supraorbital - angular - anterior facial - common facial - deep facial - superficial temporal - posterior facial - transverse facial - pterygoid - internal maxillary - posterior auricular - occipital | (Gray's s167) veins of the neck: external jugular - sinus - posterior external jugular - anterior jugular - internal jugular - inferior petrosal sinus - lingual - ranine - pharyngeal - superior thyroid - middle thyroid - vertebral - deep cervical | (Gray's s168) diploic/veins of the brain: cerebral - superior cerebral - middle cerebral - inferior cerebral - basal - internal cerebral - great cerebral - cerebellar | (Gray's s169-Gray's s170) sinuses of the dura mater: superior sagittal - inferior sagittal - straight - transverse - sigmoid - petrosquamous - occipital - confluence - cavernous | (Gray's s171) ophthalmic: superior ophthalmic - nasofrontal - inferior ophthalmic - intercavernous sinuses - superior petrosal sinus - basilar - emissary | (Gray's s171) upper extremity: superficial (cephalic - median cubital - accessory cephalic - basilic - median antebrachial) - deep (radial - ulnar - brachial - axillary) | (Gray's s172) thorax: subclavian - brachiocephalic - internal thoracic - superior phrenic - inferior thyroid - intercostal (supreme - superior - posterior) - superior vena cava - azygos - hemiazygos - accessory hemiazygos - bronchial | (Gray's s172) vertebral column: external vertebral venous plexuses - internal vertebral venous plexuses - basivertebral - intervertebral - of the medulla spinalis | (Gray's s172) lower extremity: common digital - great saphenous - thoracoepigastric - small saphenous - plantar digital - posterior tibial - peroneal - anterior tibial - popliteal - femoral - profunda femoris | (Gray's s173) abdomen and pelvis: external iliac - inferior epigastric - internal iliac - superior gluteal - inferior gluteal - internal pudendal - hemorrhoidal - pudendal - dorsal of the penis - common iliac - inferior vena cava - spermatic - ovarian - renal - suprarenal - inferior phrenic - hepatic | (Gray's s173) portal system: sinusoids - portal - splenic - short gastric - left gastroepiploic - pancreatic - inferior mesenteric - superior rectal - superior mesenteric - right gastroepiploic - pancreaticoduodenal | (Gray's s174) fetal: ductus venosus - umbilical | (Gray's s139)
Latin}}} 
Official status
Official language of: Vatican City
Used for official purposes, but not spoken in everyday speech
Regulated by: Opus Fundatum Latinitas
Roman Catholic Church
Language codes
ISO 639-1: la
ISO 639-2: lat
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In human anatomy, the common iliac veins are formed by the external iliac veins and internal iliac veins and together, in the abdomen at about the level of the umbilicus (T10), form the inferior vena cava. They drain blood from the pelvis and lower limbs.
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The lumbar veins are veins running along the inside of the posterior abdominal wall. They are the lumbar equivalent of the posterior intercostal veins.

See also

  • Posterior intercostal veins
  • Subcostal vein
  • Ascending lumbar vein

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The testicular vein (or spermatic vein), the male gonadal vein, carries deoxygenated blood from its corresponding testis to the inferior vena cava or one of its tributaries.
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The renal veins are veins that drain the kidney. They connect the kidney to the inferior vena cava.

It is usually singular to each kidney, except in the condition "multiple renal veins".
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The Suprarenal Veins are two in number:
  • the right ends in the inferior vena cava.
  • the left ends in the left renal or left inferior phrenic vein.

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In human anatomy, the hepatic veins are the blood vessels that drain de-oxygenated blood from the liver and blood cleaned by the liver (from the stomach, pancreas, small intestine and colon) into the inferior vena cava.
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heart is a muscular organ responsible for pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions, or a similar structure in the annelids, mollusks, and arthropods.
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Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) is a huge controlled vocabulary (or metadata system) for the purpose of indexing journal articles and books in the life sciences. Created and updated by the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM), it is used by the MEDLINE/PubMed
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vein is a blood vessel that carries blood toward the heart. The majority of veins in the body carry low-oxygen blood from the tissues back to the heart; the exceptions being the pulmonary and umbilical veins which both carry oxygenated blood.
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Blood is a specialized biological fluid consisting of red blood cells (also called RBCs or erythrocytes), white blood cells (also called leukocytes) and platelets (also called thrombocytes) suspended in a complex fluid medium known as blood plasma.
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heart is a muscular organ responsible for pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions, or a similar structure in the annelids, mollusks, and arthropods.
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vertebral column (backbone or spine) is a column of 34 vertebrae, the sacrum, intervertebral discs, and the coccyx situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by spinal discs. It houses the spinal cord in its spinal canal.
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The retroperitoneum (adj. retroperitoneal) is the anatomical space behind (retro) the abdominal cavity. It has no specific delineating anatomical structures. Organs are retroperitoneal if they only have peritoneum on their anterior side.
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The right atrium (in older texts termed the "right auricle") is one of four chambers (two atria and two ventricles) in the human heart. It receives de-oxygenated blood from the superior and inferior vena cavae and the coronary sinus, and pumps it into the right ventricle through
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In human anatomy, the common iliac veins are formed by the external iliac veins and internal iliac veins and together, in the abdomen at about the level of the umbilicus (T10), form the inferior vena cava. They drain blood from the pelvis and lower limbs.
..... Click the link for more information.
The right atrium (in older texts termed the "right auricle") is one of four chambers (two atria and two ventricles) in the human heart. It receives de-oxygenated blood from the superior and inferior vena cavae and the coronary sinus, and pumps it into the right ventricle through
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Anastomosis (plural anastomoses) refers to a form of network in which streams both branch out and reconnect. The term is used in medicine, biology, and geology.

Medicine

Anastomosis is the surgical connection of two structures.
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The azygos vein is a vein running up the right side of the thoracic vertebral column.

Structure

The azygos vein transports deoxygenated blood from the posterior walls of the thorax and abdomen into the superior vena cava vein.
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A plexus is a network. It has more specific meanings in multiple fields.

Biology

In biology it has multiple meanings.

Nervous system

In many animals the processes of neurons join together to form a plexus or nerve net.
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spinal chord is a thin, tubular bundle of nerves that is an extension of the central nervous system from the brain and is enclosed in and protected by the bony vertebral column.
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In medicine, gonadal vein refers to the blood vessel that carrying blood away from the gonad (testis, ovary) toward the heart.
  • Females : ovarian vein
  • Males : testicular vein

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The Suprarenal Veins are two in number:
  • the right ends in the inferior vena cava.
  • the left ends in the left renal or left inferior phrenic vein.

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The renal veins are veins that drain the kidney. They connect the kidney to the inferior vena cava.

It is usually singular to each kidney, except in the condition "multiple renal veins".
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The lumbar veins are veins running along the inside of the posterior abdominal wall. They are the lumbar equivalent of the posterior intercostal veins.

See also

  • Posterior intercostal veins
  • Subcostal vein
  • Ascending lumbar vein

..... Click the link for more information.
In human anatomy, the hepatic veins are the blood vessels that drain de-oxygenated blood from the liver and blood cleaned by the liver (from the stomach, pancreas, small intestine and colon) into the inferior vena cava.
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The superior vena cava is a large, yet short vein that carries de-oxygenated blood from the upper half of the body to the heart's right atrium.

It is formed by the left and right brachiocephalic veins, (also referred to as the innominate veins) which receive blood from the
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Pressure (symbol: p) is the force per unit area applied on a surface in a direction perpendicular to that surface.

Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.
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The aorta (generally pronounced [eɪˈɔːtə] or "ay-orta") is the largest artery in the human body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and bringing oxygenated blood to all parts of the body in the systemic circulation.
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Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Classification & external resources

ICD-10 I 71.3 , I 71.4
ICD-9 441.3 , 441.4

OMIM 100070
DiseasesDB 792
MedlinePlus 000162
eMedicine med/3443   emerg/27 radio/1
MeSH D017544
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