Double superior vena cava incidentally found during permanent catheter placement: A case report and literature review

Abstract

A devastating admission to a tertiary hospital intensive care unit led to the discovery of a case of congenital duplicated superior vena cava (DSVC). Following the insertion of a temporary left internal jugular vein catheter, a subsequent chest X-ray indicated that the left catheter was not reaching the right heart. This resulted in a chest computed tomography scan with contrast, which confirmed the diagnosis of DSVC. The asymptomatic nature of these conditions reduces their prevalence. To date, there is no documented history of DSVC patients in Palestine. Therefore, it is important to report such a case to highlight the needs for larger studies in the future that aim to define the characteristics and varying features of patients with DSVC and the associated clinical findings.

Keywords

• Persistent left superior vena cava
• Double superior vena cava
• Permanent catheter
• Case report