Unique Bilateral Symmetrical Accessory Renal Artery – A case report

Renal arteries normally arise from the abdominal aorta at the level L1 vertebra. During routine dissection of abdomen by the undergraduate medical students we noted, two additional renal arteries were observed on both sides arising from abdominal aorta. It is not associated with any other anomaly of kidneys or other vascular anomaly. Both arteries were caudal to the normal renal artery, entering the hilum of kidney anterior to the renal vein. Accessory renal arteries usually arise from aorta below the normal renal artery. Variations in renal arteries are common due its complicated development, ascent and rotation. These variations of arteries are common at the inferior pole rather than the superior pole of kidneys. Additional renal arteries may or may not be associated with the congenital malformations of the kidneys. The variations of renal arteries are considered critical that surgeons should have thorough knowledge. Renal artery variations such as their number, source and course are very common. Most of the variations of human renal vessels can be explained on the basis of phylogeny as many conditions which are anomalous in human are normally present in some animals. The most common variation of renal artery is the presence of an accessory renal artery, occurring in approximately 30% of cases. Accessory renal arteries usually arise from aorta commonly on left side and enter the hilum of kidney below the normal renal arteries. Knowledge of the presence of such additional renal arteries is necessary while performing the surgical and radiological procedures related to kidney. Variations in the renal vessels and supernumerary renal arteries have been observed frequently, either in routine dissections or in clinical practice. Knowledge of these variations of renal vascular anatomy has importance in exploration and treatment of renal trauma, renal transplantation, renal artery embolization, surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm and conservative or radical renal surgery, laparoscopic surgeries and retroperitoneal operations.