Introduction: Persistent left-sided superior vena cava is a rare congenital venous malformation. While often clinically asymptomatic, these variations in normal anatomy may give rise to complications with central venous catheter placement.
Case report: We present a case of a 71-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with sepsis of unknown etiology. A right-sided central venous catheter was placed, and due to a persistent left-sided superior vena cava the post-procedure chest radiograph showed a uniquely positioned catheter tip within the left atrium.
Conclusion: A persistent left-sided superior vena cava may lead to uniquely positioned catheter tip placement on post-procedural imaging. This case demonstrates the need to consider variants in normal venous anatomy, such as persistent left-sided superior vena cava, to aid with correct interpretation of post-procedure imaging findings.
Conflict of interest statement: By the CPC-EM article submission agreement, all authors are required to disclose all affiliations, funding sources and financial or management relationships that could be perceived as potential sources of bias. The authors disclosed none.
Reference:Mancera M, Genthe N, Lepa N. Case Report of a Left-sided Superior Vena Cava Causing Unique Positioning of Central Line. Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med. 2020 Nov;4(4):587-590. doi: 10.5811/cpcem.2020.8.48372. PMID: 33217279; PMCID: PMC7676799.