Table of Contents
What is inferior vena cava?
The inferior vena cava is a large, valveless, venous trunk that receives blood from the legs, the back, and the walls and contents of the abdomen and pelvis.
What is the vena cava in pregnancy?
This vein drains blood from the legs and pelvis back up into the right atrium of the heart. Late in pregnancy, every woman will notice some slight dizziness or lightheadedness if she lays on her back too long. This is due to the uterus applying pressure to the inferior vena cava.
What happens to the inferior vena cava during pregnancy?
Pregnant patients in the supine position have compression of the inferior vena cava and aorta by the gravid uterus, which leads to decreased venous return and thus hypoperfusion.
What is vena cava?
The vena cava has two parts: the superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava. The superior vena cava carries blood from the head, neck, arms, and chest. The inferior vena cava carries blood from the legs, feet, and organs in the abdomen and pelvis. The vena cava is the largest vein in the body.
Where is the inferior vena cava of the heart?
The IVC lies along the right anterolateral aspect of the vertebral column and passes through the central tendon of the diaphragm around the T8 vertebral level. The IVC is a large blood vessel responsible for transporting deoxygenated blood from the lower extremities and abdomen back to the right atrium of the heart.
What does the inferior vena cava do in the kidney?
The renal veins are blood vessels that return blood to the heart from the kidney. Each kidney is drained by its own renal vein (the right and left renal vein). Each renal vein drains into a large vein called the inferior vena cava (IVC), which carries blood directly to the heart.
Where is the inferior vena cava?
How do you know if your vena cava is blocked?
The most common symptoms of SVCS include:
- Swelling of your face, neck, upper body, and arms.
- Trouble breathing or shortness of breath.
- Coughing.
What are the symptoms of inferior vena cava syndrome?
Inferior vena cava syndrome (IVCS) is characterized by tachycardia, hypotension, tachypnea, hypoxemia, and shortness of breath. The differential diagnosis of IVCS is broad, mainly because it is rarely ever diagnosed as a primary disease process. The differential diagnosis of IVCS are: Chronic venous insufficiency.
Can baby Press on vena cava?
Specifically, it is sending blood to the uterus, which is providing all the blood and oxygen to your baby. Once the uterus and the baby reach a certain size, the vena cava can become compressed when you lay flat, delaying the return of the blood to the heart.
Why is the inferior vena cava important?
The inferior vena cava is ultimately responsible for the transport of almost all venous blood (deoxygenated) from the abdomen and lower extremities back to the right side of the heart for oxygenation.
What is the function of inferior vena cava in the heart?
The superior vena cava and inferior vena cava are very large veins that bring deoxygenated blood to your heart to get oxygen. Your inferior vena cava, your body’s largest vein, carries oxygen-depleted blood back to your heart from the lower part of your body (below your diaphragm).