Systemic Venous Anomalies

The systemic veins are responsible for bringing deoxygenated blood back to the heart. Generally consisting of a right-sided superior caval vein and a right-sided inferior caval vein, this system may be malformed. Anomalies of the systemic venous system include, but are not limited to, a persistent left superior caval vein, interruption of the inferior caval vein, or absence of any of these caval veins. This chapter reviews the development of the systemic veins and then reviews the various anomalies of the systemic veins that are noted in the clinical setting.