What is superior vena cava and inferior vena cava?
The vena cava has two parts: the superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava. The superior vena cava carries blood from the head, neck, arms, and chest. The inferior vena cava carries blood from the legs, feet, and organs in the abdomen and pelvis. The vena cava is the largest vein in the body.
What is the main cause of superior vena cava syndrome?
What causes superior vena cava syndrome? SVCS is caused when the flow of blood in the SVC vein slows. This vein carries blood from the head, neck, chest, and arms to the heart. Blood flow may be slowed by a blood clot, a tumor, or because the vein is being compressed by nearby tissue.
What is meant by superior vena cava syndrome?
A condition in which a tumor presses against the superior vena cava (the large vein that carries blood from the head, neck, arms, and chest to the heart). This pressure blocks blood flow to the heart and may cause coughing, difficulty in breathing, and swelling of the face, neck, and upper arms.
Where is the inferior vena cava of the heart?
The inferior vena cava (IVC) is the largest vein of the human body. It is located at the posterior abdominal wall on the right side of the aorta. The IVC’s function is to carry the venous blood from the lower limbs and abdominopelvic region to the heart.
How is inferior vena cava formed?
The inferior vena cava is formed by the coming together of the two major veins from the legs, the common iliac veins, at the level of the fifth lumbar vertebra, just below the small of the back.
What is next to inferior vena cava?
The IVC is formed by the joining of the left and right common iliac veins and brings collected blood into the right atrium of the heart. It also joins with the azygos vein (which runs on the right side of the vertebral column) and venous plexuses next to the spinal cord.
How Long Can You Live With SVC syndrome?
Prognosis. The average life expectancy for patients who present with malignancy-related SVC syndrome is 6 months, although the prognosis is quite variable depending on the type of malignancy.
What happens if superior vena cava is blocked?
Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is a group of symptoms that occur when there is pressure on the superior vena cava, or it is partially blocked and blood can’t flow back to the heart normally. This causes more pressure in the veins and face, which leads to a buildup of fluid or swelling.
Can you live without your inferior vena cava?
Absence of the inferior vena cava is a rare vascular anomaly, which usually remains asymptomatic in childhood. It is recognized as the risk factor for deep venous thrombosis, since the collateral circulation does not provide adequate drainage of the lower limbs.
How is inferior vena cava syndrome treated?
The treatment of vena cava compression syndromes commonly involves stenting or radiation. Expandable metallic stents have been used to treat IVC compression caused by hepatic tumors [11]. Tumors that compress the SVC, such as lung cancer, are generally radiosensitive [12].