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Anatomical features of coexisting horseshoe kidney and double inferior vena cava

Naofumi Horio1, Narumi Miyaura1, Kenta Nagahori2

  • 1Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan.

Anatomical Science International
|June 27, 2025
PubMed

Insights

This study details a rare anatomical finding of horseshoe kidney (HSK) and double inferior vena cava (DIVC) in a cadaver. Recognizing this complex renal and vascular variation is crucial for surgical and radiological procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Anatomy
  • Embryology
  • Surgical Pathology

Background:

  • Horseshoe kidney (HSK) and double inferior vena cava (DIVC) are rare congenital anomalies.
  • Coexistence of HSK and DIVC presents unique anatomical challenges.
  • Embryological development of kidneys and IVC occurs concurrently.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document a rare case of coexisting horseshoe kidney and double inferior vena cava.
  • To analyze the embryological and clinical implications of this combined anatomical variation.
  • To emphasize the importance of recognizing such variations in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

  • Cadaveric dissection of a 96-year-old Japanese male.
  • Detailed anatomical examination of renal and vascular structures.
  • Histological analysis of the renal isthmus.

Main Results:

  • Fusion of kidneys by an isthmus below the inferior mesenteric artery (HSK).
  • Presence of a double inferior vena cava (DIVC) with no communicating veins.
  • Multiple renal arteries and an aberrant renal vein noted.
  • Histology showed atrophic tubules and increased connective tissue in the isthmus.

Conclusions:

  • Coexisting HSK and DIVC demonstrate significant anatomical variability.
  • Awareness of this rare variation is vital for surgeons and radiologists.
  • Early embryological abnormalities can lead to complex retroperitoneal variations.

Keywords:
Double inferior vena cavaHorseshoe kidneyMultiple renal arteriesMultiple renal veins

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