Anomalous drainage of the right testicular vein: a case report (543.4)

Typically, the right testicular vein drains blood into the inferior vena cava, while the left testicular veins drains into the left renal vein. However, variations in the paths of the testicular veins do occur. Such variations can influence testicular drainage and even lead to varicocele, one of the causes of male infertility. During a routine dissection conducted within the Department of Anatomy and Embryology’s laboratory, an anomalous path of the right testicular vein was observed on the cadaver of a 60-year old. The person’s death had been the result of an unrelated cause. The anomaly discovered was that both the left and right testicular veins drained into the left renal vein. The right testicular vein ascended diagonally, crossed in front of the inferior vena cava and joined the lower side of the left renal vein, at an almost 90 degree angle and at a distance of 0.3cm from the inferior vena cava. The left testicular vein joined the left renal vein on the same side, but 4cm further away from the vena...