Absence of Inferior Vena Cava at Birth, Resulting in Bilateral Iliofemoral Acute Deep Venous Thrombosis

The Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the iliofemoral region may be more common than previously thought. 1 Acute iliofemoral DVT is associated with the highest risk of post-thrombotic morbidity. To prevent post-thrombotic syndrome, strategies for early removal of thrombi have been recommended and widely accepted in the United States, regardless of the patient’s age. 2,3 However, pre-existing venous disease, such as absent inferior vena cava (IVC) syndrome, can make this treatment more difficult.
A congenital anomaly of the IVC and its tributaries is a rare vascular malformation. Abernethy was the first to describe a congenital mesocaval shunt and azygos continuation of the IVC in a 10-month-old infant with dextrocardia in 1793. 4 Between weeks 6 and 8, the IVC and adjacent urogenital drainage system undergo complex embryogenesis.