Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava with Absent Right Superior Vena Cava: Review of the Literature and Clinical Implications

• Published in: Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) Vol. 31; no. 5; pp. 674 - 679
• Main Authors: Sheikh, Azeem S., Mazhar, Sajjad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2014
• Subjects: Aged; coronary sinus; Diagnosis, Differential; echocardiography; Echocardiography - methods; Humans; Male; spontaneous contrast; Vascular Malformations - diagnostic imaging; Vena Cava, Superior - abnormalities; Vena Cava, Superior - diagnostic imaging; coronary sinus; spontaneous contrast; echocardiography
• ISSN: 0742-2822; 1540-8175
• DOI: 10.1111/echo.12514

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the most common venous anomaly of the thorax affecting 0.5–2% of the general population. PLSVC with absent right SVC, which is also referred to as isolated PLSVC, occurs in 0.09–0.13% of patients. PLSVC should be suspected whenever a dilated coronary sinus is discovered on transthoracic echocardiography. Transthoracic echocardiography serves as an excellent modality to diagnose PLSVC. The presence of PLSVC can be confirmed by performing a bilateral “bubble study” with injection of agitated saline from both the left and the right peripheral arm veins. Although PLSVC is a benign condition, it may have important clinical implications in certain situations. We describe a case of PLSVC with an absent right SVC followed by a review of the literature and the clinical implications associated with this condition.