Retroaortic left renal vein is a relatively uncommon venous anomaly. Its clinical importance is unclear, but diagnostic and surgically hazardous implications make it a condition that must be kept in mind. Computed tomography (CT) scanning has been largely advocated as the most accurate imaging method in assessing this anomaly. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is not usually reported as detecting retroaortic left renal veins. The authors report a case in which a retroaortic left renal vein could be detected both by CT scan and by DSA, a finding that could be confirmed intraoperatively during aortic aneurysm surgery. Most of the relevant literature is briefly commented on and reviewed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
1. Corliss CE: Embriologia humana de Patten. Libreria Editorial El Ateneo. Buenos Aires, 1979.
2.
2. Davis CJ, Lindberg GD: Retroaortic left renal vein. A relatively frequent anomaly. Am J Clin Pathol50:700-703, 1968.
3.
3. Brener BJ, Darling RC, Frederick PL, et al: Major venous anomalies complicating abdominal aortic surgery. Arch Surg108:159-165, 1974.
5. Matano R, Gennaro M, Mohan C, et al: Association of intraabdominal pathologies and vascular anomalies with infrarenal aortic aneurysm: A computed tomographic study. Cardiovasc Surg1:27-29, 1993.
6.
6. Hoballah JJ, Chalmers RT, Sharp WJ, et al: Aortic aneurysm rupture into a retroaortic left renal vein. Ann Vasc Surg7:363-367, 1993.
7.
7. Giordano JM, Trout HH: Anomalies of the inferior vena cava. J Vasc Surg3:924-928, 1986.
8.
8. Bartle EJ, Pearce WH, Sun JH, et al: Infrarenal venous anomalies and aortic surgery: Avoiding vascular injury. J Vasc Surg6:590-593, 1987.
9.
9. Martinez-Almagro A, Almenar Garcia V, Martinez Sanjuan V, et al: Retroaortic left renal vein: A report of six cases. Surg Radiol Anat14:361-366, 1992.
10.
10. Davis RA, Milloy FJ Jr, Anson BJ: Lumbar, renal and associated parietal and visceral veins based upon a study of 100 specimens. Surg Gynecol Obstet107:1-22, 1958.
11.
11. Reiss RH, Eseuther G: Variations in the pattern of renal vessels and their relation to the type of posterior vena cava in man. Am J Anat104:295-318, 1959.
12.
12. Ross JA, Samuel E, Millar DR: Variation in the renal vascular pedicle. Br J Urol33:478-485, 1961.
13.
13. Kinard RE, Orrison WW: Ultrasound demonstration of the retroaortic left renal vein. J Clin Ultrasound14:151-152, 1986.
14.
14. Washecka R, Hulnick DH, Catanese A, et al: Postpartum renal vein thrombosis with left retroaortic renal vein. Urology29:548-551, 1987.
15.
15. Royal SA, Callen PW: CT evaluation of abnormal inferior vena cava and left renal vein. Am J Roentgenol132:759-763, 1979.
16.
16. Hall JT, Raval B: Retroaortic left renal vein: An interpretive pitfall on computed tomography. J Comput Tomogr10:55-56, 1986.
17.
17. Gay SB, Armistead JP, Weber ME, et al: Left infrarenal region: Anatomic variants, pathologic conditions, and diagnostic pitfalls. Radiographics11:549-570, 1991.
18.
18. Moul JW, Maggio MI, Hardy MR, et al: Retroaortic left renal vein in testicular cancer patient: Potential staging and treatment piffall. J Urol44:411-434, 1992.
19.
19. Pinsk R. Nemcek AA Jr, Fitzgerald SW: Tumor thrombus in a retroaortic left renal vein and incidental right circumcaval ureter. Urol Radiol13:166-169, 1992.
20.
20. Fisher MR, Hricak H. Higgins CB: Magnetic resonance imaging of developmental venous anomalies. Am J Roentgenol145:705-709, 1985.
21.
21. Cory DA: Retroaortic left renal vein demonstrated by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. J Comput Assist Tomogr8:339-340, 1984.
22.
22. Carriero A, lezzi A, Ciccotosto C, et al: The superior and inferior vena cava: Angiography by TOF 2D magnetic resonance versus spin-echo sequences. Radiol Med Torino87:768-774, 1994.
23.
23. Harjula A, Luosto R, Konttinen M, et al: Fistula between abdominal aortic aneurysm and left renal vein. Acta Chir Scand149:541-544, 1983.
24.
24. Lord JW, Figorita J, Florio J: Fistula between abdominal aortic aneurysm and anomalous renal vein. JAMA187:535-536, 1964.
25.
25. Smith BM, Starnes VA: Aortic and inferior vena cava resection for renal cell carcinoma invading an aberrant renal vein. J Cardiovasc Surg Torino28:282-285, 1987.
26.
26. Lau JL, Lo R, Chan FL, Wong KK: The posterior “nutcracker”: Hematuria secondary to retroaortic left renal vein. Urology28:437-439, 1986.
