title: Aneurysmal dilatation of the inferior vena cava.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inferior vena cava aneurysms (IVCA) are rare, unlike aortic aneurysms. The diagnosis and treatment is challenging. This study defines clinical and echocardiographic findings in a prospective cohort of sixteen patients with fusiform IVCA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients referred to the Mayo Clinic between January 2006 and July 2009 for a clinically indicated echocardiogram (36,128 patients) were screened for a dilated IVC. Sixteen cases of fusiform IVCA were identified. Eleven cases (68.8%) were female. Mean age at presentation was 76 years (range 51-89). Eleven (68.8%) had structural heart disease: with right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in 45.5% (n = 5), moderate or greater tricuspid regurgitation (TR) was seen in 36.4% (n = 4) and RV enlargement was seen in 18.2% (n = 2). The most common clinical indication for echocardiography was dyspnea (25%; n = 4) and heart failure (18.8%; n = 3). The mean IVCA diameter was 4.1 cm (range 3.8-5 cm) and the mean length of the aneurysms was 6.2 cm (range 3.5-8.7 cm), with mean right ventricular systolic pressure of 55 mmHg (range 31-105 mmHg). Five (31.3%) had at least a moderate reduction in right ventricular ejection fraction and five (31.3%) had significant TR. Among these five patients with significant TR, severe TR was present in 80%; (n = 4) and moderate to severe TR was present in 20%; (n = 1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IVC aneurysms are more common in the elderly, and is associated with an increase in right sided heart pressures, significant TR, and RV dysfunction.
authors: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona 85259-5499, USA. mookadam.farouk@mayo.edu
authors: Farouk
authors: F
authors: Mookadam
authors: Vincent B
authors: VB
authors: Rowley
authors: Usha R
authors: UR
authors: Emani
authors: Mohsen S
authors: MS
authors: Al-Harthi
authors: Christy M
authors: CM
authors: Baxter
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Wilansky
authors: Jamil A
authors: JA
authors: Tajik
authors: Serageldin F
authors: SF
authors: Raslan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014262:Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*