A report of anomalous renal blood supply

Vascular variations and the accidental cutting of veins and arteries potentially create problems during surgery and medical treatment. The surgeon''s awareness of a vascular variation in the kidneys is essential during renal surgery and transplantation, color Doppler imaging, gonadal surgery and in the presence of an abdominal aortic aneurism. This awareness can improve the patient''s recovery process. The Surgical Department should implement a study of these variations and their statistics in order to present them to students to increase their awareness of such variations. During a routine dissection of the abdominal region of a 35-year-old Iranian male cadaver, we observed right accessory renal vessels. The most common variation of the renal artery is the presence of an accessory renal artery that is upward and on the right side, crossing the inferior vena cava anteriorly toward the kidney. This variation occurs in approximately 30% of cases. This case report highlights the importance of awareness of renal artery variations in the event surgical procedures are performed in this area of the body.