Double superior vena cava and variation in pulmonary venous drainage – case report

• Main Authors: M Chimmalgi, P Rangsubhe, S Shanu, L V Amalasmitha, Kavya Krishnan, S Dhanushia, Sanju Sarkar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2016-01-01
• Series: National Journal of Clinical Anatomy
• Subjects: superior vena cava; persistent left superior vena cava; pulmonary ostia
• Online Access: http://www.njca.info/article.asp?issn=2277-4025;year=2016;volume=5;issue=3;spage=156;epage=160;aulast=Chimmalgi

During routine dissection for undergraduate students, two venous end cardiac anomalies were noted. In a male cadaver, in addition to a normal right sided superior vena cava, a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) was seen opening into the right atrium via coronary sinus. Left brachiocephalic vein was of a small caliber. In addition, left atrium showed only two pulmonary ostia. No other cardiac anomalies were found. Both these anomalies rarely cause any haemo-dynamic compromise and hence may remain asymptomatic throughout life. They are usually found as a chance finding during imaging studies or in post mortem studies as was seen in this case. However, both are known to be associated with cardiac arrhythmias. Their concomitant occurrence suggests a common timing of their development and / or a common causative agent that halted their development. Knowledge of these anomalies is invaluable for the cardiac surgeons and interventionists.