title: Course of the hepatic inferior vena cava in a Kenyan population.
abstract: The course of the hepatic inferior vena cava (HIVC) has a wide range of variations which are relevant in hepato-vascular surgery and liver transplantation. Eighty livers were studied for hepatic course and axial orientation of the HIVC. The HIVC was found to run in an incomplete tunnel in 43.8% of the cases (n = 35), complete tunnel in 32.5% of the cases (n = 26) while in the rest, it was contained in a shallow groove on the retrohepatic surface. It assumed an oblique course in relation to the longitudinal axis of the liver in 60% of the cases (n = 48). The findings of this study vary to a wide range from those reported previously, and call for extra caution during surgical operations involving the HIVC region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya. pbkarau@gmail.com
authors.forename: Karau Paul
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Bundi
authors.forename: Julius A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ogeng'o
authors.forename: Jameela
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hassanali
authors.forename: Paul O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Odula
mesh_terms: D044383:Black People; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000033:anatomy & histology*