title: Left sided inferior vena cava: a case report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report a case of left sided inferior vena cava (IVC).
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors carried out the standard dissection survey of939 embalmed cadavers between 1974 and 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The authors encountered a case of left sided IVC in a male donated cadaver aged 65 years at decease. The IVC formed behind the left common iliac artery at the L5 vertebra and coursed proximally on the left of the aorta until it reached the left renal vein and then crossed anterior to the abdominal aorta to assume the normal right side. At the point of crossing, it received the left renal vein. The right renal vein emptied into the IVC on the right side.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the era of laparoscopic urological surgery, preoperative diagnosis of this uncommon but important entity is essential to prevent unwarranted surgical mishaps.
authors: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand. kkimap@kku.ac.th
authors: Kimaporn
authors: K
authors: Khamanarong
authors: Worawut
authors: W
authors: Woraputtaporn
authors: Supawadee
authors: S
authors: Teerakul
authors: Parichat
authors: P
authors: Prachaney
authors: Pattama
authors: P
authors: Amarttayakong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D006801:Humans; D007084:Iliac Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D012082:Renal Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000033:anatomy & histology*