The double retro-aortic left renal vein
Variation in the left renal vein was observed in the 66-year-old Korean male cadaver during educational dissection. The abdominal cavity was opened and abdominal viscera were systemically removed. The renal veins were identified and were traced from the hilum of the kidney to the IVC.\nTwo left renal veins, instead of coursing anterior to the aorta, passed behind it to drain into the IVC, therefore, these veins were defined as retro-aortic left renal veins (RA-LRV). The two RA-LRVs were defined as superior retro-aortic left renal vein (SRA-LRV) and an inferior retro-aortic left renal vein (IRA-LRV) according to their anatomical position (). The small SRA-LRV drained into the IVC horizontally at the lower border of the L2 vertebra, and IRA-LRV was passed obliquely downwards and drained into the IVC at the upper border of the L4 vertebra. The diameters of the SRA-LRV and IRA-LRV were 1 cm and 2.3 cm, respectively. The left testicular vein was accompanied by the left testicular artery and drained into the bifurcation of the left main renal vein. The left suprarenal vein passed obliquely downwards and drained into left renal vein. Other arteries and veins showed a normal course.