Resection of abdominal aortic aneurysm in a patient with left-sided inferior vena cava and horseshoe kidney.

The presence of vascular and renal anatomical anomalies can create technical problems during abdominal aortic surgery and may give rise to serious intraoperative complications. We present a case of an abdominal aortic aneurysm resected in a patient with the extremely rare coexistence of a left-sided inferior vena cava and horseshoe kidney. The diagnosis of the anomalies was made prior to aortic surgery. CT-scan of the abdomen was the most accurate preoperative investigation. Aortic surgery was performed through a transperitoneal approach which allowed easy access to the aneurysm despite the presence of the left-sided inferior vena cava and horseshoe kidney. Recognition of vascular and renal anomalies on preoperative imaging studies is important in the surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. If possible anomalies are recognized in time and treated correctly, the morbidity and mortality of aneurysm repair should not be influenced.