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Origin of the Infrarenal Part of the Caudal Vena cava in the Pig
Author(s) -
Cornillie P.,
Van Den Broeck W.,
Simoens P.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
anatomia, histologia, embryologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.34
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1439-0264
pISSN - 0340-2096
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0264.2008.00868.x
Subject(s) - anatomy , lumbar , medicine , vena cava , azygos vein , inferior vena cava , abdomen , lumbar arteries , lymphatic system , vein , radiology , surgery , pathology
Summary The vascular topography in the lumbar region of pig embryos and young fetuses was three‐dimensionally reconstructed to study some controversial aspects of the origin and development of the infrarenal part of the caudal vena cava. Contrary to general belief, it was found that the supracardinal veins, which form the azygos veins in the thorax, do not take part in the construction of the caudal vena cava in the lumbar region. These veins do appear in the abdomen, but they are only involved in the formation of the lumbar and ascending lumbar veins. The infrarenal part of the caudal vena cava arises from the lumbar part of the right caudal cardinal vein. Whilst this venous pattern is established, the lumbar part of the left caudal cardinal vein disappears and its former location is occupied by large lymphatic connections between the cysterna chyli and the retroperitoneal mesenteric lymphatic sac. On the basis of these findings, a number of hypotheses on the development of anatomical variations of the caudal vena cava should be reconsidered.