Venous Communication Between the Right and Left Kidneys: A Rare Anatomic Variation

Renal vascular anatomic variations, especially of the renal arteries, have been observed in about 20-30% of cases, which are very often verified in the left antimere. These variations showed two or three renal arteries stemming directly from the aorta. These anatomic variations have been considered extremely important risk factors in surgical proceedings by different authors. The dissection of a cadaver showed an uncommon venous feature in addition to renal artery variation, specially, in the left antimere. A direct venous communication between left and right kidneys was verified without there being any relation to the inferior cava vein or common iliac veins. Thus, the knowledge of blood vessel anatomic variation is an important element to improve surgical techniques as well as to provide precise analyses of urological and radiological proceedings in different renal diseases. Specially, taking into consideration that hard traction of the renal pedicle could rupture the vessels, leading to lethal hemorrhaging.