Duplication of the inferior vena cava associated with other variations

Multiple vascular variations, including duplication of the inferior vena cava, double renal arteries and anomalies of the testicular blood vessels, were observed during dissection of the retroperitoneal region of a cadaver of an 87-year-old Japanese man. The right inferior vena cava arose from the union of right common iliac veins and a thinner interiliac vein. This interiliac vein ascended obliquely from right to left and joined the left common iliac veins to form the left inferior vena cava. The right and left inferior venae cavae were of approximately equal width. The right testicular vein consisted of medial and lateral venous trunks. The two venous trunks coalesced to form a single vein, which drained into the confluence of the right inferior vena cava and right renal vein. The left testicular vein was composed of the medial and lateral testicular veins, which drained into the left renal vein. Double renal arteries were seen bilaterally, which originated from the lateral aspects of the abdominal aorta. The right testicular artery arose from the right inferior renal artery and accompanied the lateral trunk of the right testicular vein running downwards. The left testicular artery arose from the ipsilateral inferior renal artery and ran downwards accompanied by the left lateral testicular vein. In addition, the bilateral kidneys showed multicystic changes. © 2006 Japanese Association of Anatomists.