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Hypoplasia of right renal vein with aberrant drainage into ipsilateral spermatic vein: Case report
Federico Fontana1, Andrea Coppola1, Christian Ossola1
1Radiology Department, ASST Sette Laghi, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
Insights
This study describes a rare case of right renal vein hypoplasia where the vein drains into the right gonadal vein. This unusual venous anatomy was discovered incidentally in a patient with an aortic aneurysm.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Vascular Anatomy
- Radiology
Background:
- Anatomical variations in renal venous drainage can impact surgical and diagnostic procedures.
- Understanding these variations is crucial for accurate interpretation of imaging studies.
Observation:
- A 66-year-old male patient presented with a juxtarenal aortic aneurysm.
- Incidental imaging revealed a markedly hypoplastic right renal vein.
- The right kidney's venous drainage was observed to connect to the ipsilateral gonadal vein.
Findings:
- The right renal vein exhibited hypoplasia, with abnormal drainage into the right spermatic vein.
- A thin remnant vein connected the right kidney hilum to the inferior vena cava.
- This specific anatomical variant has not been previously documented in medical literature.
Implications:
- This case highlights a rare congenital anomaly of the renal venous system.
- Awareness of such variations is essential for urologists and radiologists.
- Accurate identification can prevent misdiagnosis and guide surgical planning.
Abstract:
The objective of this study was to describe a case of marked hypoplasia of the right renal vein with drainage into ipsilateral gonadal vein. A 66-year-old man, known for hypertension and previous smoking, underwent an abdominal ultrasound exam, which detected a juxtarenal aortic aneurysm. Computed tomography scan confirmed the presence of the aortic aneurysm; furthermore it showed an abnormal right kidney venous drainage consistent in a dilated and tortuous vein, which originated at the hilar region, heading caudally and joining the right spermatic vein at level of aortic carrefour. A thin vein-located more cranially with mild and late contrast enhancement-was also demonstrated from right kidney hilum to inferior vena cava, probably representing a remnant of the right main renal vein. To our knowledge, this anatomic variant was never reported in the peer-reviewed literature.
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