Anatomical Variations of Renal Arteries: A Cross-sectional Cadaveric Study from Rajasthan, India

Introduction: Kidneys are retroperitoneal organs normally supplied by the paired renal arteries. Variations in renal arterial anatomy are clinically significant for renal transplantation, angiographic interventions, and urological procedures. Aim: To evaluate the morphological patterns, incidence, and side-specific distribution of anatomical variations in renal arteries among the Rajasthan population. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional cadaveric study was conducted at Pacific Medical University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, from March 2024 to April 2025. The study was conducted on 50 human anatomical embalmed kidney specimens of unknown age and sex. To assess variations in renal arterial branching, the Sampaio FJ and Passos MA (1992) classification was used. Specimens free from pathological changes, trauma, surgery, or malformations were dissected to expose renal arteries and pre-hilar branches without the use of dyes or imaging; observations were recorded separately for each side. The proportions of the different variations were calculated as frequency and percentages by using the Epi Info software, Results: Out of 50 kidneys, a Single Renal Artery (SRA) was present in 11 cases (22.0%), whereas Multiple Renal Arteries (MRA) originating from the abdominal aorta was observed in 25 cases (50.0%). Double Hilar Arteries (DHA) was identified in 9 cases (18.0%), while no instances of triple hilar arteries were encountered. A combination of a hilar artery with a Superior Polar Artery (SPA) was recorded in 2 cases (4.0%), and a hilar artery with an Inferior Polar Artery (IPA) was noted in 3 cases (6.0%). Conclusion: Knowledge of the differences in renal artery anatomy is essential for surgical procedures related to renal transplantation, abdominal aorta aneurysm repairs, urological operations, and angiographic interventions.