Portal and hemiazygos continuation of the inferior vena cava: report of an unusual case

Abstract

In infrahepatic interruption of the inferior vena cava (IVC), continuation is usually through the azygos or hemiazygos systems (Chuang et al, 1974; Smathers et al, 1982; Mayo et al, 1983). Recently, Bercoff et al (1985) described the first case of portal continuation. We observed such an anomaly in a patient who had a single left-sided IVC with hemiazygos-azygos continuation, and a shunt between the portal and hepatic systems. To our knowledge nosuch complex anomaly has yet been reported.