Trunk vessels (aorta, vena cava, abdominal branches)
Common iliac veins
Vena iliaca communis (dextra et sinistra)
- Origin
- Formed at the sacroiliac joint by the union of internal and external iliac veins
- Insertion
- Unite at the L5 vertebral level posterior to the right common iliac artery to form the IVC
- Function
- Drains the entire lower extremity, pelvis, and perineum into the inferior vena cava
- Innervation
- Sympathetic vasomotor plexus
- Movement & chain
- Continuous systemic venous return
- Palpation
- Not palpated directly
- Clinical
- May-Thurner syndrome (iliac vein compression syndrome: chronic compression of the left common iliac vein by the overlying right common iliac artery against L5, predisposing to extensive left iliofemoral DVT; treated via venoplasty and stenting).
- Segmental innervation
- L4-S1 spinal levels
- In clinical practice
- Duplex ultrasound and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) evaluation for May-Thurner syndrome in left leg DVT, post-iliac stenting anticoagulation
- Region in the model
- Trunk vessels (aorta, vena cava, abdominal branches)