The inferior vena cava (IVC) is the largest vein in the human body, and its primary function is to carry deoxygenated blood from the lower half of the body back to the right atrium of the heart. The IVC is formed by the confluence of the right and left common iliac veins, usually at the level of the fifth lumbar vertebra. It lies along the right anterolateral aspect of the vertebral column and passes through the central tendon of the diaphragm around the T8 vertebral level. The IVC receives autonomic innervation from the splanchnic nerves, which serve to alter the diameter of the IVC via interactions with alpha-1, alpha-2, and beta-2 receptors. Any surgical procedure involving the thoracic cavity or abdomen requires attention to the location, condition, and orientation of the IVC in relation to other structures and organs.