Incidental finding of left sided superior vena cava in a patient for tunneled central venous line insertion and review of literature

Abstract

Left sided superior vena cava (SVC) is a rare anatomic variant of the normal anatomy of the heart and the venous system that has clinical implications. The presence of this variant is relevant to central venous catheter placement, cardioverter defibrillator placement, coronary artery bypass grafting, and numerous other medical procedures. In this report, we describe a rare case of left sided SVC, which was diagnosed during central venous catheter insertion. We also discuss the vascular and anesthetic considerations for individuals with this uncommon variant.

Key words: Superior vena cava; Anatomical anomaly; Central venous catheter

Citation: Imtiaz D, Sadaqat S, Rehman SU. Incidental finding of left sided superior vena cava in a patient for tunneled central venous line insertion and review of literature. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2021;25(4):547–549 DOI: 10.35975/apic.v25i4.1577

Received: April 29, 2021, Reviewed: June 1, 2021, Accepted: June 4, 2021