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The three most common variations of the left renal vein: a review and meta-analysis

Shuang-Qin Yi1, Yosuke Ueno, Munekazu Naito

  • 1Department of Functional Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan. yixim@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy : SRA
|April 27, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Anatomical variations of the left renal vein, including circumaortic and retroaortic left renal veins, are common in Japanese cadavers. Understanding these variations is crucial for accurate diagnosis and surgical planning.

Area of Science:

  • Anatomy
  • Vascular Anatomy
  • Surgical Anatomy

Background:

  • Anatomical variations of the left renal vein can impact surgical procedures and diagnostic imaging.
  • Understanding the prevalence and clinical significance of these variations is essential for healthcare professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe and quantify three specific left renal vein variations in Japanese cadavers: circumaortic left renal vein (CLRV), retroaortic left renal vein (RLRV), and retropelvic tributary.
  • To review the clinical significance and detection methods of these variations based on existing literature.

Main Methods:

  • Cadaveric dissection of Japanese individuals.
  • Literature review of reported incidences and clinical significance of left renal vein variations.

Main Results:

  • Median incidence of CLRV was 7.0% in cadavers and 1.8% in clinical subjects; detection can be challenging with CT/MDCT or angiography.
  • Median incidence of RLRV was 1.7% in cadavers and 2.2% in clinical subjects; detection is lower during operations but easier with ultrasonography.
  • Retropelvic tributaries of the renal vein were frequent (30.0-46.4%), with communicating veins between the left renal vein and retroperitoneal veins also common (30.0-84.2% in cadavers, 34.0-75.8% in clinical reports).

Conclusions:

  • CLRV, RLRV, and retropelvic tributaries represent significant anatomical variations of the left renal vein with varying incidences and detection challenges.
  • Awareness of these variations and their prevalence is critical for accurate interpretation of imaging studies and successful surgical interventions.

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