Multiple variations of the branches of abdominal aorta

Multiple variations were found in a 54-year-old male cadaver during routine dissections of abdominal retroperitoneal region. Right inferior phrenic artery was arising from right renal artery, while the right middle and superior suprarenal artery branched from the right inferior phrenic artery. Left inferior phrenic artery was originating from the abdominal aorta below celiac trunk. The left middle suprarenal artery appeared as the branch of celiac trunk. Double left renal artery was arising separately from the left side of the aorta. The upper left renal artery showed approximately 80o of kinking which then crossed the lower one and entered to the inferior pole of hilum of kidney. Left testicular artery was originating from the upper left renal artery after this kinking. The left and right fourth lumbar arteries and median sacral artery have branched from a common trunk posterior to the abdominal aorta. In spite of these abundant variations in the branches, abdominal aorta itself did not show any variation, spanning normally between the levels of T12–L4 vertebrae. The variations of abdominal aorta may have clinical importance, especially in surgical and radiologic investigations. © IJAV. 2010; 3: 88–90.