Exposure and ligation of the thoracic duct are performed through a right sided thoracoscopic approach, through which the thoracic duct is ligated at the supradiaphragmatic hiatus between the aorta and
azygous vein [66, 68].
Lumbar veins drain blood from the abdominal wall and vertebral venous plexus into the inferior vena cava, ascending lumbar veins, renal veins, or lumbar
azygous vein. While there has been a reported case of lumbar vein rupture as a complication of acute pancreatitis, there has been no report of this occurring in otherwise asymptomatic patients [3].
(4) Shunts most commonly drain to the inferior vena cava, but drainage can be to the renal veins, iliac veins,
azygous vein or the right atrium.