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A case of multiple abnormalities of the azygos venous system: a praeaortic interazygos vein
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Abstract
During dissection of the posterior mediastinum in a 76 year-old Caucasian male cadaver we found a rare variation in the azygos venous system. The hemiazygos vein drained the left 9th to 11th left posterior intercostal veins. While passing ventrally to the aorta at the level of the body of the eighth thoracic vertebra it was joined by two separate vessels found to be the continuations of the 7th and 8th left posterior intercostal veins. The resultant dilated vessel, termed the "interazygos vein", then opened into the azygos vein on the right side of the vertebral column. Variation in the azygos venous system has often been reported, but the abnormality observed by us appears to be extremely rare. The interazygos vein passing ventrally to the aorta may mimic enlarged lymph nodes and cause misinterpretation of a computed tomography image or, if accidentally damaged during mediastinal surgery, may lead to intraoperative haemorrhage. To the best of our knowledge this report provides new data of potential clinical significance.
Abstract
During dissection of the posterior mediastinum in a 76 year-old Caucasian male cadaver we found a rare variation in the azygos venous system. The hemiazygos vein drained the left 9th to 11th left posterior intercostal veins. While passing ventrally to the aorta at the level of the body of the eighth thoracic vertebra it was joined by two separate vessels found to be the continuations of the 7th and 8th left posterior intercostal veins. The resultant dilated vessel, termed the "interazygos vein", then opened into the azygos vein on the right side of the vertebral column. Variation in the azygos venous system has often been reported, but the abnormality observed by us appears to be extremely rare. The interazygos vein passing ventrally to the aorta may mimic enlarged lymph nodes and cause misinterpretation of a computed tomography image or, if accidentally damaged during mediastinal surgery, may lead to intraoperative haemorrhage. To the best of our knowledge this report provides new data of potential clinical significance.
Keywords
azygos vein; interazygos vein; hemiazygos vein; para-aortic mass; anatomical variation
Title
A case of multiple abnormalities of the azygos venous system: a praeaortic interazygos vein
Journal
Issue
Article type
Case report
Pages
353-355
Published online
2007-08-13
Page views
712
Article views/downloads
1447
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2007;66(4):353-355.
Keywords
azygos vein
interazygos vein
hemiazygos vein
para-aortic mass
anatomical variation
Authors
J. Pyrzowski
J.H. Spodnik
A. Lewicka
A. Popławska
S. Wójcik