BILATERAL ABERRANT RENAL ARTERIES WITH ANOMALOUS RIGHT TESTICULAR ARTERY ARISING FROM ABERRANT RIGHT RENAL ARTERY ASSOCIATED WITH BILATERAL POLYCYSTIC KIDNEYS : A CASE REPORT

Address for Correspondence: Dr. SP Thangaraj, Professor & Head, Department Of AnatomyPonnaiyah Ramajayam Institute Of Medical Sciences (PRIMS) Manamainallur, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India. E-Mail: drspthangaraj@gmail.com Anatomical variations in the origin of the arteries in the abdominal area are very common. The coeliac trunk, renal and gonadal arteries are the arteries that show frequent variations. During routine dissection of a male cadaver, two aberrant renal arteries (one on right & one on left ) supplying bilateral polycystic kidneys and anomalous right testicular artery arising from aberrant right renal artery was found in the abdominal region. Both the aberrant renal arteries originated from the right antero lateral aspect of abdominal aorta, ran towards the lower pole of corresponding polycystic kidneys .We found that the origin of right and left aberrant renal arteries were not at the same level. Aberrant right renal artery arose at a lower level than the aberrant left renal artery. Origin of aberrant right and left renal arteries were 45mm and 20mm below the origin of main right and left renal arteries. It was also found that the right testicular artery was anomalous taking origin from the right aberrant renal artery and the left testicular artery arose from abdominal aorta below the origin of left aberrant renal artery. These anatomical variations and anomalies are important to know before performing any diagnostic or therapeutic procedures in the abdominal area. Knowledge of the presence of aberrant renal arteries with anomalous origin of gonadal arteries is important with increased use of laparoscopic renal surgeries and donor nephrectomy.


INTRODUCTION
each side and 30% of individuals have accessory renal artery [1] .The accessory renal artery may arise from aorta or it may arise from coeliac, superior mesenteric, common iliac artery.They are the persistent embryonic lateral Single renal artery arises at right angles from each side of the aorta slightly below the origin of superior mesenteric artery (SMA).In about 70% of individuals there is one renal artery on splanchnic arteries.The testicular artery usually arises from the abdominal aorta at the level of the second lumbar vertebra, 2.5-5 cm below the renal artery [2].Variations relating to origin, course and number of these arteries have been reported in a number of studies [2][3][4].Although variations in the position of the origin of the testicular arteries are rare, they can also arise from the renal, accessory renal, middle suprarenal, inferior phrenic, lumbar, or even common iliac or internal iliac arteries.Occasionally, the testicular arteries may even be absent.
In such cases, the gonads receive oxygenated blood via vesical/prostatic arteries [5,6].It has been stated in literature that the testicular artery is situated a little inferior to the renal artery [5].However, the exact distance between them has not been explored.Testicular arteries were classified into four categories on the basis of origin.This variability was defending in relation to the renal and inferior mesenteric arteries [7].Though mostly undiagnosed throughout the life the aberrant vasculature could provide a formidable challenge during surgery in this region.Preoperative aortography is often required to visualize the uncertain anatomy of the anomalous renal artery to minimize the risk of preoperative and postoperative hemorrhage associated with the vascular surgery [8].
Polycystic kidneys: Shortage of kidney donors has resulted in occasional use of abnormal kidneys as those affected by autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) with preserved renal function [9].Polycystic kidney disease isn't limited to the kidneys, although the kidneys are the most severely affected organs.
The disease can cause cysts to develop in liver and elsewhere in the body.A common complication of polycystic kidney disease is high blood pressure [10].Knowledge and awareness of these possible variations of the renal arteries are important for sufficient surgical management during renal transplantation, repair of abdominal aorta aneurysm, urological procedures and angiographic interventions [11].
Information about the origin and course of the testicular artery is surgically significant since undue ligature during invasive procedures can cause testicular atrophy.Furthermore, unusual course and location of the testicular artery is important in many different surgical procedures that involve it [12].Surgeons need to understand the morphologic variations of these arteries and ensure that they are not neglected, compromising oxygenation of the gonads.So here we are reporting bilateral aberrant renal arteries and a clinically important variation of right testicular artery, associated with bilateral polycystic kidneys with its embryologic explanation.

CASE REPORT
During the routine dissection of a male cadaver of age around 50-55 years for medical undergraduate teaching in the Department of Anatomy, at Ponnaiyah Ramajayam Institute of Medical Sciences, Manamai Nallur, Chennai, we encountered bilateral aberrant renal arteries, variation in the origin of right testicular artery associated with bilateral polycystic kidneys.The abdominal cavity was opened, the small and large intestine was removed and the structures close to2the posterior abdominal wall was dissected.We observed all unpaired and paired branches of the abdominal aorta, starting from the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery, renal arteries, gonadal and inferior mesenteric artery.We observed the position of right kidney which is slightly lower than the left kidney and both renal arteries arose from the abdominal aorta lateral to the superior mesenteric artery (Figure -1).

DISCUSSION
Knowledge of embryology of the renal vasculature and development of the kidney is essential in order to understand the possibilities of the multiple anomalies and variations of the renal arteries [12].The nomenclature of variations of the renal arteries is still not cleared, as different authors described them as additional, accessory, hilar, inferior and superior polar arteries [11].
The incidence of accessory renal arteries had been reported as 30% by Henry Gray [1].Presence of variations of renal arteries may be associated with other underlying renal pathological conditions as per Das S.
[13] which coincides with this case report, where aberrant renal arteries were seen bilaterally, which arose at a lower level than the main renal arteries and it was associated with bilateral polycystic kidneys.
The reported incidence of such variations of the renal arteries ranges from 8.7 to 75.7% [11].
The incidence of origin of gonadal arteries from the renal arteries has been reported to lie between 4.7 and 14% [14].These variations were noted only on the right side.Moreover, case reports that document the origin of a gonadal artery from the renal artery are present in literature.Of these, the origin of the gonadal artery from an aberrant renal artery has only been reported in [15,16] who reported the origin of the left testicular artery from a lower hilar renal artery and in the present case the origin of the right testicular artery is from the aberrant right renal artery.

Embryological explanation of aberrant renal arteries:
According to Felix [17] the developing mesonephros, metanephros, suprarenal glands and gonads are supplied by nine pairs of lateral mesonephric arteries arising from dorsal aorta .
Felix divided these arteries into three groups as follows: Group 1: 1 st and 2 nd are cranial arteries.
Group 2: 3 rd to 5 th are middle arteries Group 3: 6 th to 9 th are caudal arteries The middle group gives rise to renal arteries and the persistence of more than one artery of the middle group results as multiple renal arteries.Thus the aberrant renal arteries in this case are as a result of bilaterally persisting mesonephric arteries of the middle group .Felix also stated that although any of these nine arteries may become the gonadal artery, it usually arises from the caudal group .In the present case the right testicular artery has originated from aberrant right renal artery so we believe that it has been derived from middle group as well Brenmer explained that spermatic branches of renal origin were due to an early connection of a mesonephric artery with kidney which is normally lost [18].
Due to the increased demand for living donor graft in renal transplants, the knowledge of such variant anatomy of the renal and gonadal arteries is an important prerequisite for successful renal transplantation [19] and as such compre hensive arteriography of these vessels before surgery is recommended.The origin of the testicular artery from the accessory renal artery should be noted as injury to this vessel may result in testicular infarction

Figure 1
Figure 1 also shows bilateral aberrant renal arteries (right and left) in addition to right and left renal artery, arising from anterolateral aspect of the abdominal aorta, running towards the hilum of the kidneys.The origin of right aberrant renal artery and left aberrant renal artery were 45mm and 20mm below the origin of right and left renal arteries respectively.The origin of right and left aberrant renal arteries were not at the same level.Origin of right aberrant renal artery was 25mm below the left aberrant renal artery.From figure1 & figure 2, we observed that the right testicular artery (RTA) was not arising from abdominal aorta.To view the origin of right testicular artery, the inferior vena cava (IVC) was reflected above the entry of renal veins and rescuted downwards.The testicular artery was observed to arise along the

Fig. 1 :
Fig. 1: Shows bilateral aberrant renal arteries (right and left) in addition to right and left renal artery, arising from anterolateral aspect of the abdominal aorta with bilateral polycystic kidneys.

Fig. 3 :
Fig. 3: shows multiple cysts on the posterior surface of both right & left kidneys.
SP Thangaraj, G Rajathi, N Vishali.BILATERAL ABERRANT RENAL ARTERIES WITH ANOMALOUS RIGHT TESTICULAR ARTERY ARISING FROM ABERRANT RIGHT RENAL ARTERY ASSOCIATED WITH BILATERAL POLYCYSTIC KIDNEYS: A CASE REPORT.