Venous drainage for minithoracotomy approach in an adult with interrupted inferior vena cava.

For atrial septal defect closure via right minithoracotomy in an adult patient with infra-hepatic interruption of the inferior vena cava with azygos connection, an alternative venous cannulation strategy was applied. In addition to bicaval cannulations to the femoral vein and the internal jugular vein, a 20 Fr straight cannula draining the hepatic vein was added to the proximal IVC through the right atrium wall via a working port. A bloodless operative field in the right atrium was afforded with bicaval encircling. Preoperative imaging test of the continuity of the IVC was important planning cardiac surgery with peripheral cannulations.