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A case of novel combined variations of the renal and testicular vessels
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, National Defense Medical College, Namiki, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
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Abstract
Variations in the pattern of urogenital vessels can arise as a single occurrence or as a combination, which may increase the risk of unexpected injury during surgical procedures. Multiple variations in the renal and testicular vessels, in a novel combination, were observed during dissection of an 87-year-old Japanese male cadaver. In the present case, the patient had two renal arteries on each side. On the right side, the superior and inferior renal arteries emerged from the abdominal aorta at the L1 and L4 vertebrae levels, respectively. On the left side, the superior renal artery originated from the abdominal aorta at the level of the L1/L2 intervertebral disc, whereas the inferior renal artery arose at L4. The right testicular artery emerged from the abdominal aorta at the level of the L2 vertebra and crossed the inferior vena cava posteriorly. The venous system also exhibited some variations. The left renal vein passed posteriorly to the abdominal aorta and opened into the inferior vena cava at the level of the L2 vertebra. On the course to the inferior vena cava, the left renal vein was connected only to the first lumbar, azygos, and hemiazygos veins; blood was not collected from the left testicular and suprarenal veins, which usually open to the left renal vein. The patient had two right testicular veins. The lateral one opened into the angle between the right renal vein and the inferior vena cava at the level of the L2 vertebra, and the medial one drained into the inferior vena cava at a level slightly lower than the lateral one. Knowledge of the possible anatomical variations may be beneficial for performing safe retroperitoneal surgery and understanding the development of these vessels.
Abstract
Variations in the pattern of urogenital vessels can arise as a single occurrence or as a combination, which may increase the risk of unexpected injury during surgical procedures. Multiple variations in the renal and testicular vessels, in a novel combination, were observed during dissection of an 87-year-old Japanese male cadaver. In the present case, the patient had two renal arteries on each side. On the right side, the superior and inferior renal arteries emerged from the abdominal aorta at the L1 and L4 vertebrae levels, respectively. On the left side, the superior renal artery originated from the abdominal aorta at the level of the L1/L2 intervertebral disc, whereas the inferior renal artery arose at L4. The right testicular artery emerged from the abdominal aorta at the level of the L2 vertebra and crossed the inferior vena cava posteriorly. The venous system also exhibited some variations. The left renal vein passed posteriorly to the abdominal aorta and opened into the inferior vena cava at the level of the L2 vertebra. On the course to the inferior vena cava, the left renal vein was connected only to the first lumbar, azygos, and hemiazygos veins; blood was not collected from the left testicular and suprarenal veins, which usually open to the left renal vein. The patient had two right testicular veins. The lateral one opened into the angle between the right renal vein and the inferior vena cava at the level of the L2 vertebra, and the medial one drained into the inferior vena cava at a level slightly lower than the lateral one. Knowledge of the possible anatomical variations may be beneficial for performing safe retroperitoneal surgery and understanding the development of these vessels.
Keywords
anatomical variation, renal artery, renal vein, testicular artery, testicular vein
Title
A case of novel combined variations of the renal and testicular vessels
Journal
Issue
Article type
Case report
Published online
2023-11-21
Page views
183
Article views/downloads
165
DOI
Pubmed
Keywords
anatomical variation
renal artery
renal vein
testicular artery
testicular vein
Authors
Tetsuhito Kigata
Yasushi Kobayashi