Bilateral Origin of the Testicular Arteries from the Lower Polar Accessory Renal Arteries

The gonadal arteries (testicular or ovarian arteries) emerge normally from the lateral aspect of the abdominal aorta, a little inferior to the renal arteries. Several other sites of origin of these arteries have been recorded with the renal and accessory renal arteries being the most common. In the present case report, the testicular arteries originated from the lower polar accessory renal arteries in both sides. The testicular veins followed had the usual origin and course, while an accessory renal vein was observed only in the right side. These anomalies were combined with an abnormal left ureter exiting from the lower pole of the kidney. Only one male cadaver among 77 adult human cadavers of Caucasian origin presented this set of variations (frequency: ≤ 1.3%). Variations of renal and gonadal vessels are important, as their presence could result in vascular injury of any accessory or aberrant vessel if the surgeon does not identify them.