Agenesis of the inferior vena cava associated with lower extremities and pelvic venous thrombosis

• Published in: Journal of vascular surgery Vol. 44; no. 5; pp. 1114 - 1116
• Main Authors: Gil, Roberto Jiménez, Pérez, Alberto Miñano, Arias, Jorge Bercial, Pascual, Fernando Bernabeu, Romero, Eugenio Sansegundo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.11.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Diagnosis, Differential; Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous; Femoral Vein; Humans; Iliac Vein; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Pelvis - blood supply; Phlebography; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Vascular surgery: aorta, extremities, vena cava. Surgery of the lymphatic vessels; Vena Cava, Inferior - abnormalities; Venous Thrombosis - diagnosis; Cardiovascular disease; Agenesis; Venous thrombosis; Malformation; Surgery; Inferior vena cava
• ISSN: 0741-5214; 1097-6809
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2006.06.021

The absence of the inferior vena cava is an uncommon congenital anomaly and can be misdiagnosed. We report a 14-year-old boy initially admitted as a result of a painful abdominal mass; after admission, he experienced a deep venous thrombosis in his left leg. Subsequent evaluation revealed the congenital absence of the entire inferior vena cava, with a cluster of thrombosed collateral veins in his right pelvis, corresponding to the abdominal mass. The recognition of this anomaly may be helpful in the event of differential diagnosis in retroperitoneal masses. In young patients with idiopathic deep venous thrombosis, an inferior vena cava anomaly should be considered.