Video A. Mottrie, Geert De Naeyer, Ruben De Groote

Follow the inferior caval vein to cephalad

• The inferior caval vein can be followed to cephalad, starting from the renal vein. Along the course of the caval vein, you meet one or several draining veins of the adrenal gland. These can be clipped and transsected. The main surrenal vein at the left side typically drains directly into the caval vein under the liver border.
• At the left side the main surrenal vein drains into the renal vein what eases its dissection.
• Important in the dissection of the adrenal gland and its vessels is to manipulate the adrenal gland as little as possible to prevent systemic dissemination of adrenal hormones. This is of special importance in patients with suspicion of pheochromocytoma.