Accessory tributary of the left renal vein - a case report

Abstract

The left renal vein drains the left kidney to the left lateral inferior vena cava, and it courses anteriorly to the abdominal aorta and posteriorly to the superior mesenteric artery. The case of two renal veins draining the kidneys was seen during a routine dissection of the left retroperitoneal space of a 36-year-old male cadaver. This unusual complex pattern of the left renal vein with an accessory tributary is useful, particularly for surgeons and urologists needing to access the retroperitoneal space. An awareness of such renal vascular variation can help reduce the risk of iatrogenic vascular injury when accessing this area.