An anatomical variation during para-aortic lymphadenectomy

Failure to identify anatomical variations may contribute to surgical errors or perioperative complications during abdominal and oncological surgery. We report the case of an anatomical variation of the inferior vena cava revealed during para-aortic lymphadenectomy for advanced ovarian cancer. Due to renal insufficiency, preoperative CT-scan was performed without contrast injection and the variation was not clearly detected. Our clinical case underlines the importance of the preoperative diagnosis of anatomical variations and highlights the need to provide young surgeons with adequate technical training in para-aortic lymphadenectomy.