A case of bilateral double renal veins

Introduction The large renal veins lie anterior to the renal arteries and open into the inferior vena cava almost at right angles. The left is three times of the right in length (7.5 cm and 2.5 cm). The left renal vein runs from its origin in the renal hilum, posterior to the splenic vein and the body of pancreas, and then across the anterior aspect of aorta. The left testicular or ovarian vein enters the left renal vein from below, and the suprarenal vein usually receiving one of the left inferior phrenic veins, enters it above. The right renal vein is behind the descending part of duodenum. The right testicular or ovarian vein and the right suprarenal vein enter the inferior vena cava directly. The left renal vein may be double, one vein passing posterior, the other anterior to the aorta before joining the inferior vena cava. This is sometimes referred to as the persistence of the ‘renal collar’. Because of its close relationship to the aorta, the left renal vein may be ligated during aortic aneurysm [1]. Several other variations of renal veins have also been reported.