Common iliac vein (left) (Vena iliaca communis)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
Formed by external and internal iliac veins behind the arteries, uniting to create the IVC in front of L5; the right is short and vertical, the left longer crossing under the right common iliac artery — the classic May-Thurner compression point.
Clinical notes
Left compressive thrombosis spreads to the left leg more than the right (May-Thurner principle); young patients with extensive deep-vein thrombosis get balloon thrombectomy plus stenting.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the Common iliac vein (left)?
Formed by external and internal iliac veins behind the arteries, uniting to create the IVC in front of L5; the right is short and vertical, the left longer crossing under the right common iliac artery — the classic May-Thurner compression point.
Why is the Common iliac vein (left) clinically important?
Left compressive thrombosis spreads to the left leg more than the right (May-Thurner principle); young patients with extensive deep-vein thrombosis get balloon thrombectomy plus stenting.
Source & license
BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). license details