Azygos vein cannulation: recognition is vital for preventing complications

Diagnosis of inadvertent cannulation of the azygos vein during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass demands diligence and attention to detail to prevent neurologic injury. Arterial and venous cannulae are used to facilitate cardiopulmonary bypass. The assessment of adequate decompression of the venous circulation is an essential duty of the cardiac surgical team. Modalities for the assessment of adequate regional venous drainage are limited, however...

The Abnormally Situated Azygos Vein

The azygos vein may be abnormally situated due to anomalous embryologic development. Its abnormal location is infrequent, but radiologic recognition is much easier than that of the normal vein. This vein, normal or abnormal, becomes distended in conditions with an elevated venous pressure, systemic or portal. Changes in the size of the azygos vein on x-ray are noted to parallel fluctuations of ...

Reentrance of Azygos Vein into Azygos Fissure After Pneumothorax.

Empty azygos fissure implies dislocation of the azygos vein to the mediastinal side of the right upper lobe from azygos fissure, which is usually secondary to pneumothorax, pleural effusion, parenchymal fibrosis, vertebral collapse or persistent vomiting. We are presenting here a case where a separated azygos vein in CT and radiography images was noted. Moreover, in the follow-up images, it app...

Migrating azygos vein and vanishing azygos lobe: MDCT findings.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to describe six cases of migrating azygos vein and to explain the etiologic factors that contribute to the migration. Six patients with migrating azygos vein were studied by MDCT before and after migration. Five patients had right pneumothorax. All patients had repeated episodes of cough, vomiting, and a short mesoazygos. CONCLUSION Pneumothorax, increa...

Internal jugular vein cannulation versus subclavian vein cannulation. A surgeon's view: the subclavian vein.