English

Abstract

Introduction Renal artery variations have gained importance in the last decade because of the widespread development in transplantation surgery. Variations in the renal vasculature are of importance not only for the surgeons, but for the radiologists, especially in the interventional radiological approaches. Post surgical complications and the risk of kidney loss is higher in the cases with multiple renal arteries when compared with the kidneys having a single renal artery. The aim of this study was to discuss the surgical importance of the inferior renal polar artery. Case report During routine dissection, a case of accessory right renal inferior polar artery was found. The main renal artery was arising from the aorta about 1.7 cm below the superior mesenteric artery extending laterally towards the hilum of the kidney. At about 1.3 cm below the origin of the inferior mesenteric artery from the anterolateral aspect of the aorta, an accessory renal artery measuring 5.1 cm in length, was seen coursing upwards, backwards and laterally and entered the right kidney through its lower pole. This inferior polar renal artery in our case passed superficial to the ureter and testicular vein on the right side and hence can lead to partial obstruction of ureter leading to hydronephrosis, or testicular vein predisposing to varicocele. Conclusion Surgeons should exclude the possibility of presence of such accessory renal arteries obstructing ureter or testicular vein prior to the surgical treatment of hydronephrosis and varicocoele. The awareness about the presence of such variations is important from the academic, surgical and radiological point of view.