VENA RENAL IZQUIERDA RETRO-AÓRTICA

Understanding of the renal venous anatomy and its variations is essential to perform any procedure in the region. We report a variation of the left renal venous tree found during a cadaveric dissection, the retroaortic left renal vein. It was a unique venous trunk that emerged from the left renal hilum and traveled dorsally to the abdominal aorta before reaching the inferior vena cava. The existence of this vessel is associated to the embryology of the inferior vena cava. We discuss the surgical, radiological and possible embryological aspects. Other clinical implications are also considered.