An Ectopic Polycystic Kidney With Embryological and Clinical Significance: A Cadaveric Case Report

Renal ectopia is a rare and usually asymptomatic anomaly. We report a cadaveric case of a 70-year-old male with the right pelvic polycystic kidney with two pairs of renal vessels and a curved right common iliac artery, observed during the routine dissection of the cadaver at a teaching institute. An ectopic kidney extended from the L4 to S1 vertebral levels. Its arterial supply consisted of a superior renal artery arising from the abdominal aorta just inferior to the origin of the inferior mesenteric artery, and an inferior renal artery originating from the aortic bifurcation. Similarly, venous drainage consisted of the superior renal vein, which drained into the inferior vena cava, and the inferior renal vein, which drained into the left common iliac vein. The renal pelvis was situated on the anteroinferior aspect of the kidney. Cross-sectional examination revealed obliteration of the normal renal parenchyma. This combination of findings has not been previously described in the literature. Although ectopic kidneys are often asymptomatic, recognizing the possibility of such unusual anatomical arrangements is crucial for accurate diagnosis and safer medico-surgical interventions when symptoms or related pathologies arise in the pelvic or retroperitoneal regions.