title: Double superior and inferior vena cava: unusual venous anomaly.
abstract: We report the case of a 56-year-old woman affected by recurrent paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and sick sinus syndrome. Before pacemaker implantation, a diagnosis of left superior vena cava persistency was made. After some years, at pacemaker replacement, an inferior vena cava anomaly was suspected because of the difficult progression of the lead for temporary pacing from the right femoral vein. Contrast ultrasonography strongly suggested the presence of a double inferior vena cava. The diagnosis was further confirmed by contrast computed tomography. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of the isolated contemporary presence of double superior and inferior venae cavae.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Section, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and Pharmacology, University Hospital, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Melluso
authors.forename: Santi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raffa
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Bella
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tripodo
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zito
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coglitore
authors.forename: Scipione
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carerj
authors.forename: Oreste
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bramanti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arrigo
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012804:Sick Sinus Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000002:abnormalities*; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities*