Persistent left superior vena cava: diagnosis and implications for the interventional nephrologist.

Awareness and recognition of anatomic anomalies of the great vessels of the neck and chest are important for the interventional nephrologist, as central venous catheter placement is a common procedure. A persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the most common thoracic venous anomaly (0.3-0.5% of the population), and can present difficulty during internal jugular or subclavian vein catheter insertion, as well as pose a diagnostic dilemma. In this report, two cases of PLSVC are described, and the clinical significance and diagnosis of PLSVC are reviewed.